Death of a Princess
by grrlgeek72
Summary: Elsa's enemies plot to assassinate her and replace her with Princess Anna. When the plot is exposed and her enemies defeated, Elsa is horrified to have to deal with a casualty - her sister. How will Elsa, Kristoff, and the kingdom deal with the loss of the Princess of Summer? Will Elsa be able to survive her grief? MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH! Alternate ending to "The Spare"
1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

 **This story lays out an alternate, very sad, ending to my story "The Spare".**

 **This prologue is not new content, but a copy of Chapter 13 from "The Spare". I decided to add it so that someone could read this story as complete without going back to The Spare.**

 **This chapter describes the end of the plot to assassinate Elsa and replace her on the throne of Arendelle with Princess Anna. Unfortunately, although the plotters are brought to justice, Anna is wounded in the course of the fight, leading to her death, which is dealt with by Elsa, Kristoff, and the entire kingdom in the next chapter of this story.**

 **If you have already read "The Spare" and remember all the plot participants and so on, feel free to skip this chapter and dive right into the angst of the next chapter. It is intense, be warned.**

* * *

'Tis the sport to have the enginer  
Hoist with his own petard. **  
Shakespeare**

* * *

Pierre's blood pounded in his ears as he ran toward his warehouse. The adrenaline surging through his body let him cover the distance in less than ten minutes. Skidding to a stop outside the entrance, his chest was heaving as he dragged in great gulps of air, trying to catch his breath. He fumbled in his pocket for his watch and was shocked to see that it was five minutes after ten. His bomb had not gone off! Snarling, he pushed the watch back into his pocket and fumbled to open the door, hands shaking so badly it took three tries to fit the key into the lock.

He ran to the office where he knew Saint-Just would be waiting for him.

"Where is she, where is the Princess?" he demanded of a startled Saint-Just.

"She's in the safe room, tied up. What's wrong, what happened? I didn't hear an explosion," demanded his associate.

"No time, we need to get out of here, now, before the Queen and her men come. Once they realize what happened, this will be the first place they look. Is everyone else aboard the ship?" Pierre was rummaging in the desk drawer for bullets to reload his pistol. He stuffed it in his pocket when he finished.

Saint-Just answered him, "Yes, everyone is aboard except you and me. The tide's favorable, we can cast off as soon as we get her aboard."

"You go get her; I'm going to set this place on fire to keep them busy and cover our trail. I'll meet you out front."

Pierre cursed himself for not having the Princess taken aboard the ship instead of putting her in the warehouse. He had let himself be too confident in the success of his plan. Making a getaway with the Queen's Guard howling after him wasn't the way it was supposed to happen; they should have been too busy sifting through the rubble of Thorstad's manor house looking for bits and pieces of the Queen and her nobles to worry about him.

Saint-Just hurried to the room where they had confined Anna. Unlocking it, he opened the door and went in to pick her up and carry her to the ship. He could hear Pierre splashing lamp oil at the back of the warehouse, then a "whoosh" and the crackle of flames. There was an explosion; he supposed Pierre had a cask of the gunpowder set up where he set the fire. He needed to get out of here, fast. Where was the Princess?

He was stunned that the room seemed to be empty. He froze in place, not understanding. Where was she?

Anna swung the board she had pried loose from one of the shelves and knocked Saint-Just flat on his face with a blow to the back of his head. She had finally managed to work herself free of the ropes binding her hands and feet just in time to set up her little ambush as she heard him fumbling to unlock the door.

Dropping the board, she ran out the door … right into Pierre's arms. "Not so fast, you little bitch!"

Kicking and struggling, Anna tried to scream, "Help, Help me!" hoping to attract someone's attention. She managed a good kick to Pierre's shin, but it wasn't enough to loosen his grip.

He twisted her arms behind her and pushed her to the floor. Putting a knee into her back to hold her down, he gripped both her wrists in one hand and pulled a knife out of his pocket.

"I should cut your throat, but that is too quick. Since I apparently failed to kill your sister, I'll just leave you here to burn in her place!" he snarled. He stabbed her viciously in her side then kicked her aside as he ran out the door.

Saint-Just staggered out of the room where Anna had ambushed him. "Wait, Pierre, wait for me!" He glanced at Anna writhing on the floor.

"Help me, please!" She reached out a hand to him.

"Die, you royal whore! I should have killed you earlier." he spat his hatred as he ran after Pierre.

Anna struggled to push herself to her hands and knees but fell back heavily. She whimpered at the pain in her side where Pierre had stabbed her. The warehouse was rapidly filling with smoke and she heard the flames and felt their heat as they drew closer. There was another explosion at the back of the warehouse. Dust and splinters fell from the rafters, causing her to cough. That hurt.

" _I'm going to die here. Oh, Elsa, why didn't I listen to you? Kristoff..."_ she agonized over how they would feel if she didn't escape. Painfully, slowly, she tried to drag herself toward the door where Pierre and Saint-Just had gone. She had only gotten a few feet when her strength gave out and she fell.

* * *

To say the Captain was unwilling to let Elsa go to the docks was an understatement, and nothing she could say moved him from his position. He was sworn to protect her and protect her he would, with her permission or not. Kristoff finally grabbed him by the lapels of his uniform jacket and snarled, "Captain, your Queen is ORDERING you to TAKE HER TO HER SISTER. I suggest you LISTEN TO HER!" and threw the Captain back into the seat while glaring at the other two guards.

Elsa snapped at the Captain before he did something foolish like trying to punch Kristoff. "Captain, you have a choice. Either this carriage and those Marines take me to that fire, or I will walk there while you thaw. Which is it?"

When she put it like that...

"Driver, head for that fire, fast! You men, follow us!" the Captain bellowed to the squad of mounted Marines surrounding the carriage. He hoped that the others he had sent there would find the Princess before that warehouse collapsed. They all hung on as the carriage careened through the streets of Arendelle as fast as the team could gallop.

* * *

When the carriage got to the warehouse, the driver had to stop a short distance away; the horses were bucking and rearing as they smelled the fire and refused to go any closer.

Elsa, Kristoff and her guardsmen scrambled out of the carriage and ran to where a small group of Marines was milling around in front of the warehouse. They were struggling to control their horses; they were as spooked by the fire as the carriage team was. The Marines strained to hold onto the reins of their mounts as they tried to calm them enough to be able to lead them far enough away from the fire to tie them up and begin a search.

Elsa was horrified to see how engulfed in flames the building already appeared to be. In the distance, she could hear the bells of the fire brigade coming to fight the fire before too many other buildings were involved in the conflagration.

" _Anna! Oh, gods, Anna!"_ Elsa's pulse was racing and her hands trembled. She was afraid her legs wouldn't hold her upright; she clenched her hands, uncertain of what to do. Reluctant as she was to put them at risk in the burning warehouse, she was about to order two of the Marines to attempt a quick search before the fire got completely out of control and made it impossible. She intended to follow them and protect them with her ice magic. She did not share this plan with her Guard Captain.

Suddenly Pierre appeared in the doorway, coughing and choking. He was startled to see the Marines but had the presence of mind to pull out his pistol and aim it at them. "Back, you dogs, or I'll kill you all!"

He suddenly noticed Elsa standing there and bellowed, "I'll kill you, witch!" and before any of the Marines could react, he pointed the pistol at her and pulled the trigger.

When Elsa was attacked by the Duke's men in her ice palace, her magic had defended her from a crossbow bolt without any conscious action on her part. This time, she was very conscious of what she was doing. The moment she saw Pierre and the blazing fanatical hatred in his eyes she knew she would have to kill him before he killed her, killed Kristoff, killed as many Marines as he had bullets in his gun.

In the split second before his gun spat death at her she sent a blast of ice shards to impale him to the warehouse wall. The bullet flew off into the sky as his arms flew wide and flung the gun away. He hung there like an insect in a display case, looking down at the spike through his chest, mouth gaping, disbelief the only emotion on his face. "You … you … weren't supposed to be able to do that …" he whined as he died.

Saint-Just had stumbled out of the warehouse right behind Pierre, equally overcome by the smoke. Seeing what had happened to Pierre unmanned him and he fell to his knees holding his hands in the air, screaming, "Don't kill me, I surrender."

Elsa turned to him and grabbed him by the throat. "Where's my sister?" she hissed.

"Inside, she's inside about 50 feet. Pierre stabbed her, not me! Please don't kill me!" he blubbered like a child.

Elsa released her grip on his throat and he fell flat on his face, continuing to whimper, "Don't kill me, I surrender."

She snapped at Kristoff, "We need to go get her. I'll protect us. Come on."

The Guard Captain's protest died in his throat as he saw the flinty determination in her eyes. Nothing was going to stop Elsa if Anna was in danger.

Kristoff ran to her side while two Marines grabbed Saint-Just and hustled him away.

"Stay as close to me as you can. I'll try to keep the fire at bay with my magic!" Elsa told Kristoff. Then she conjured up a whirlwind of snow and ice to surround them and they walked into the fire.

* * *

The blazing inferno was merciless as it devoured the warehouse structure. Anna saw a shower of sparks as a beam fell with a crash. She was panting; the smoke was suffocating. Even lying on the floor below the worst of it she could hardly breathe. She clutched her side where the stab wound bled freely.

" _Elsa, Kristoff!?"_ her thoughts were muddled, she was losing consciousness. She knew that she was going to die here and this time there would be no miracle of true love to save her.

Through the smoke and the flames she saw something white coming toward her. An angel? Was she dead and an angel was coming to guide her soul? Not an angel, a blizzard! _"That's no blizzard, that's my SISTER!"_ she realized. Elsa had come to save her.

The swirl of ice and snow was protecting Elsa and Kristoff. The ice and snow melted almost as fast as she could conjure it, the fire was so hot. They approached Anna quickly.

"Kristoff, pick her up! I won't be able to hold the flames back much longer!" Elsa's voice was sharp. He picked Anna up and nodded at Elsa. She immediately focused a blast of ice to break down a nearby wall, and the two of them sprinted to escape the inferno, still surrounded by Elsa's magic snow.

They had barely gotten outside when the roof collapsed in the building behind them, sending a blast of flames and debris through the breach Elsa had created-a blast that knocked them off their feet. Kristoff was able to twist his body so that he cushioned Anna's body on his own, and Elsa managed to keep the snow and ice around them to quench the flames before they could be burned. Their clothing had gotten a little scorched even so, and they coughed and gagged at the smothering smoke. Anna had mercifully passed out when Kristoff had picked her up inside the burning building.

"Your Majesty!" One of Elsa's guardsmen ran up to her. More guardsmen and Marines ran up and the fire brigade began to fight the fire before it spread to other buildings. It was a raging inferno, quickly getting out of control. She could feel the waves of heat beating on her skin.

"We need to get my sister to a physician, she's hurt!" Elsa managed to choke out through her coughs.

Two guardsmen picked Anna up from where she lay atop Kristoff. Two more helped him get up and stumble after Anna as they carried her to a safe distance, then put her gently into a wagon. Kristoff jumped in with her and cradled her head tenderly in his lap. The wagon drove off to take Anna to the Apothecary not far away.

With the help of a guardsman, Elsa staggered to her feet. Still coughing, she turned toward the burning building, brushing off the attempt of a guard to pull her away to safety. "Your Majesty, the Fire Brigade is here, let them do their jobs!"

"No, I can help them put this out. They'll never stop it before it burns down half this end of the town otherwise." She pushed him away.

She gestured with both hands, and a thick cloud formed over the building. Snow began to fall from the cloud; a blizzard of snow and sleet. The roaring blaze melted the snow into water that rained down and gradually brought the fire under control. When Elsa was finally confident the fire brigade could put out the remaining flames she dissipated the snow cloud and turned away.

She stumbled and would have fallen if one of her guardsmen hadn't grabbed her elbow to steady her. Dazed, she looked around, seeing her usual cordon of Queen's Own surrounding her. She shook her head to try to clear it and asked, "Where's my sister? Where's Anna?" There was a slight edge of panic in her voice; she knew Anna had been stabbed but she didn't know how serious the wound was.

"Your Majesty, the physician at the Apothecary treated her wounds as best he could, then they took her back to the castle so that the Royal Physician and his assistants could continue to treat her." replied her Guard Captain.

"We need to get back to the castle, then, Captain!" Elsa said as she started to walk away. Her legs suddenly turned to rubber and she would have fallen if not for the guardsman catching her again. He gently helped her sit down on the cobblestones.

"It appears I will need my carriage." Elsa managed to gasp before she blacked out.

* * *

When Elsa awoke, she couldn't focus her vision for a moment, then it cleared and she could see Gerda's face above her and feel something cool and damp against her forehead.

"Gerda?" Elsa could only manage a hoarse whisper; the smoke had roughened her throat. "Where's Anna? Is she okay?"

"She is being treated by the Royal Physician, Your Majesty. Next door. He doesn't want you in there yet. You took some nasty bruises and scrapes yourself, not to mention inhaling the smoke." Gerda replied as she continued to bathe Elsa's forehead and face with a damp towel.

Looking around, Elsa could see that she was in one of the small private rooms of the castle infirmary. She suddenly realized that Gerda hadn't really answered her question. "Is Anna okay?" she asked again, more forcefully this time.

The troubled look on Gerda's face was all the answer she needed. She attempted to sit up and get out of the bed, but Gerda held her down. "No, Your Majesty! You must stay here! The Physician was firm...he needs no interruptions. Anna's wound is serious and you can't go in there yet."

Elsa stopped struggling and lay quiet, but her thoughts were in turmoil. "Where is Kristoff? Is he alright?" she managed to ask.

"I'm right here, Elsa." Kristoff came up to her bed. "I was waiting in the hall when I heard you talking to Gerda." His waistcoat and cravat were gone; the vest was missing a few buttons. His clothes were stained with smoke and had small burned patches here and there and his face and hair were smudged and blackened with soot. An angry red welt across one cheek showed stark against his fair skin.

"Kristoff! What happened?" Elsa reached out to him.

Taking her hand in his, he replied, "The physician at the apothecary managed to stop the bleeding and bandage her up enough for us to bring her here. Your physician and his nurses are doing what they can. She hasn't regained consciousness yet." He looked miserable. "Elsa, I'm … I'm afraid. She bled a lot, and … if that knife cut something vital in her gut, she'll … she'll ..." He couldn't finish.

Elsa squeezed his hand, tears welling in her eyes. She knew exactly what he meant. Gut wounds would frequently prove fatal. The fevers would take hold and kill the victim after a few days of agony. On a battlefield, the surgeons would often give the mercy stroke to gut-shot soldiers, or enough laudanum that they never woke up. _"Please, please don't let that happen to Anna!"_

"Kristoff, you should get cleaned up and get that burn on your face looked after." Elsa finally found her voice, shaky as it was.

He shook his head. "No, I'm not leaving here until the physician comes out to tell us how she's doing." He looked around, pulled a chair over next to Elsa's bed and sat down. He took her hand again. "I don't know what I'll do if she … if she ..." His voice caught and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to banish the vision of Anna when they had found her in the warehouse. Elsa could only nod through her own tears, her throat too tight to speak.

Gerda had left them when Kristoff entered the room. She now returned bearing a tray with a teapot and two mugs. "Your Majesty, Kristoff, the physician ordered me to bring you some herbal tea with honey. He said you both needed to drink as much as you can. The heat from the fire dehydrated you and you need to replace the fluids. The honey will soothe your throats from the smoke."

Gerda helped Elsa sit up while Kristoff poured the tea into the mugs. They both drank two mugs. Elsa had to admit the tea and honey made her feel much better. Physically, at least. Nothing would lift the weight on her heart until she knew Anna would recover. She refused to think about her not recovering.

"Kristoff, at least use the washbasin over there to clean up a little. You'll feel better." Gerda chided him like a mother would. He nodded and did as she instructed. After washing his face and hands, he used a damp towel to get most of the soot out of his hair. He did feel better, even though the burn on his cheek still stung.

When he finished, he sat next to Elsa again. They waited, hand in hand.


	2. Chapter 1-Death of a Princess

**Alternate Ending – The Spare**

 _ **Author's Note –** As the Physician explains to Elsa and Kristoff, there are some things he simply can't heal. Before the discovery of antibiotics in the early 20th century, a gut wound was usually about 99.99% fatal due to the infections caused by any tearing in the intestines releasing all the bacteria into the abdominal cavity, resulting in runaway sepsis. It was a painful, lingering death, and battlefield medics would generally give the mercy stroke to soldiers wounded in that way. There literally was nothing else to do._

 _This story says, "What if that knife had cut into Anna's intestines?" and tries to deal with the grief that Elsa and Kristoff (and the rest of the kingdom, for that matter) would be left to deal with._

 _If you haven't figured it out by now, there is a **MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH (Anna)** and deep, gut-wrenching grief at the loss of a loved one. I suggest having a box of tissues handy, I personally can't get past page 3 without sobbing, and I wrote this._

 _If you have tears, prepare to shed them now.  
 **― William Shakespeare**_

 _"And we wept that one so lovely should have a life so brief;"  
 **― William Cullen Bryant**_

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Some timeless eternity later, the Royal Physician came into Elsa's room. Elsa couldn't tell from his expression whether he had good news or bad. She sat up a little straighter. Kristoff leaned forward, intent on what the man would tell them.

"Your Majesty. We have done everything we can for the Princess Anna for now. Her wounds have been cleansed and bandaged and she is sleeping. She stirred briefly, asking for you, and we assured her that you would see her when she woke up."

Going on, the physician continued, "Your Majesty, I can't tell you yet with any certainty whether the Princess will recover." He looked disappointed when he said this.

"Why not, doctor?" Elsa felt her heart sink. Kristoff looked anguished, his lips thin and white with worry.

The doctor pulled another chair over and sat, looking at the two people in front of him with sympathy. "Your Majesty, this is one of those situations that forcibly reminds me of just how limited my ability to heal really is. I can set broken bones, I can stitch up wounds, I can administer some remedies that we have determined will help a body heal from diseases. Some diseases, some of the time."

He shook his head and continued, "But I can't see inside the body. There are some things that happen that I just can't fix. The stab wound that your sister received may or may not have cut into her gut. If it did, she will take the fever that kills, and there is nothing that I will be able to do except ease her passing." He could see the effect his harsh words had on the Queen and Kristoff.

"We will know within a few hours. If she has not taken a fever by morning, she should recover fully within a few weeks. I wish I had more hopeful information to share with you." He rose. "I think it would be best if you both sat with her. If she stirs again, it will comfort her to see you." He left unspoken the message that it might be the last time they would ever speak to Anna. "I will be checking on her every hour." He bowed and left.

Elsa and Kristoff just sat for a moment, stunned at this news. Elsa finally shook herself and started to get out of the bed. "Help me, Kristoff."

He steadied her as she stood up. Gerda hurried up to her, holding her robe, and helped her put it on over the nightdress she was wearing. Elsa leaning on Kristoff, they went to sit with Anna, both praying the vigil would not be a deathwatch.

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Elsa's heart almost broke when she looked at Anna's still figure lying in the bed. Her face was so pale that the freckles stood out like blood against new-fallen snow.

Kristoff brought a chair over for Elsa, who sat and took Anna's hand. He pulled a second chair over to the other side of the bed and sat down himself. He was afraid to touch Anna, but finally reached out to brush a few strands of hair back from her forehead. She stirred at his touch.

"El..Elsa?" her voice was a strained whisper.

"We're here, Anna. Kristoff and I are here." Elsa hoped Anna could hear her. She wasn't sure her sister was really awake or just dreaming. "We'll always be here."

Anna quieted again and the only sound in the room was her raspy breathing. Elsa and Kristoff looked at each other across her still form, their bond of love for Anna the only thing giving them comfort in their shared heartbreak.

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The night dragged on, the silence broken only by the physician checking on Anna as he said he would.

Dawn was painting the windows with shades of gold and pink when Anna stirred again. "Elsa? K..Kristoff?"

The Queen had dozed, but her sister's voice brought her instantly awake. She leaned over the bed and stroked Anna's cheek. She gasped when she felt how how warm it was. "NO! Please, no..."

She managed to find her voice. "We're here, honey. How do you feel?" Kristoff took Anna's hand as well.

Anna looked at both of them. "I'm hot...and my side hurts pretty badly. What happened to me?"

Just then the physician hurried in. "Excuse me, Your Majesty, may I?" Elsa and Kristoff moved back to give him room to fuss over his patient, feeling her forehead and checking the wound under the dressing on her side. He straightened up and turned to Elsa and Kristoff.

Elsa became more frightened to see the sorrow on his face. The physician said, "Your Majesty, the Princess has a fever – and signs of inflammation and festering around the wound. I am afraid that there is no hope; it is only a matter of time."

Elsa felt lightheaded and thought she would faint. "No!" Kristoff steadied her although he felt faint himself.

The doctor could only shake his head. "Your Majesty, I am so sorry. If I could give you hope … but I cannot. I have seen too many of these wounds on the battlefield. Our only recourse now is to ease her passing before the pain becomes too great."

Elsa's legs gave out and Kristoff caught her and then helped her stagger to sit on one of the chairs next to Anna's bed. Anna had heard what the doctor had said, but the look on her face was one of discomfort, not understanding.

"Elsa? What's wrong? What did he mean?" Anna's voice was tinged with confusion and she reached out to her sister.

Kristoff looked at Elsa—she seemed stunned and unbelieving, her eyes had a thousand-mile stare in them. "Elsa?" he reached out and gently touched her shoulder.

"An..Anna..." the Queen leaned over her sister and took her hand, held it up to her cheek as tears began to course down and drip onto the bedclothes. She reached up with her other hand and brushed Anna's hair back from her forehead; a forehead that was so warm and flushed.

Elsa swallowed, trying to speak. "An..Anna, that knife cut you inside. In a way that lets a terrible infection take hold." She struggled for breath. "There's...there's nothing the doctor can do to fix it. There's nothing...nothing he can do to heal you. We're going to … to lose you. You're going to d..." but the word caught in her throat like a bone, choking her, and she couldn't finish. She put her head down on Anna's shoulder and let the whimpering sobs come, her shoulders heaving.

Anna tried to understand what she had just heard; a death sentence takes a bit to sink in. She clutched Elsa's hand so hard she could tell it hurt her sister. "How...how long?" she finally managed to whisper.

Kristoff had sat on the other side of the bed and he took Anna's free hand in his. Elsa was overcome and simply couldn't speak; the only sound she could make was a quiet mewling.

Kristoff stammered, "A few days. But...before that, the pain will … become agonizing. The doctor can make that easier for you, with laudanum." He felt like he was watching the whole room from somewhere else. He felt detached, a surreal calm keeping his voice steady, when his mind was gibbering and screaming that this couldn't be happening.

"Kristoff, Elsa, I'm … afraid." Anna finally managed to comprehend what she was being told. Elsa raised her head and tried to wipe her cheeks free of the tears.

"We'll be here with you, Anna. We'll hold your hand and stay with you until … "

The doctor intervened at this point. "Your Majesty, Your Highness. Please, I think the Princess should rest a bit. This infection will not immediately … ahem. And a bit of sleep will strengthen her."

"Anna, that's a good idea. I'll stay with you, Elsa you need to rest some yourself, you're still weak from that fire." Kristoff was afraid he would lose them both.

"Elsa, listen to him. I need you to stay strong." Anna managed to get her sister to look at her. Elsa was breathing in short gasps, trying to hold back the tears. She nodded slowly, then kissed Anna tenderly.

"I won't be gone long." Elsa whispered in a tearful breaking voice.

She tried to stand and couldn't, slumping weakly in the chair. Gerda had come in when the doctor had, so she went to Elsa and helped her up. "Please, Your Majesty. You need some food and a little sleep."

They left the room. Kristoff forced a smile and brushed Anna's cheek again. "Sleep a little, Feisty Pants. I'll be right here."

Anna's smile was weak, but she said, "Okay. You better be. You know you have a jealous redhead for a girlfriend."

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Gerda had intended to take Elsa back to her own bedroom, but about halfway there the impact of what was happening hit Elsa and she pulled out of Gerda's embrace and started screaming, "No, no, no, Anna! I can't lose you...please, no." She staggered to stand with her back against the wall and slid down until she was sitting, her knees drawn up. It started to snow and frost began to coat the walls.

Elsa wrapped her arms around her knees, put her head down, and began a pained keening. For the third time in her life, she froze the snow in mid-air.

Gerda's heart was breaking; not just because of Anna but because of what Elsa was going through.

She let Elsa weep for a few minutes, knowing that she needed the release. Finally, Gerda knelt next to her and wrapped her arms around the sobbing Queen. "Elsa, please, let me take you to bed. She's going to need you to be strong for her." Gerda had never used Elsa's name without a title before in 22 years.

It took a few minutes for Gerda's words to get through Elsa's grief, but she finally nodded and let Gerda help her stand. They made it to Elsa's room and Gerda got her into the bed.

"Please, Your Majesty. Hard as it is, you need to try to sleep, at least a little. You will need all your strength, for Anna's sake."

Elsa managed a sad little nod. Gerda continued, "I'm going to bring you some broth and something to drink."

She left with a concerned glance at Elsa, who simply lay in her bed staring at the ceiling.

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When Elsa returned to Anna's room several hours later, the physician was waiting for her in the hallway. She had managed to eat some broth and drink some tea, gotten cleaned up and dressed, and even gotten a few minutes of troubled sleep. None of it changed the horrible reality she found herself in.

"Your Majesty … we need to discuss … your sister," he began.

"Unless you can tell me you were wrong before, what is there to discuss?" Elsa responded dully. She had no more tears in her for the moment.

"No, unfortunately, I can't tell you that. But … her pain will increase until it is unbearable. We should talk about ..."

"Easing her passage? Putting her out of her misery? Killing her before the fever can?" Elsa's voice was harsh and bitter. "If I could trade my life for hers I would. I don't know how I can do this. I don't know how I will survive this."

"Your Majesty … "

"Enough, doctor. I will call you when it is time." Elsa turned away from him and went into Anna's room.

Kristoff was still sitting with Anna, holding her hand. He looked up at Elsa with so much pain in his eyes that Elsa almost broke at the heartbreak it added to her own misery. This man loved her sister as much as she did, and would be losing the woman who would have become his wife. One more dollop of guilt as she berated herself for not forcing them to announce their engagement before this happened. They could have at least had that moment of happiness.

"Kristoff. Has she been awake at all?" she asked as gently as she could. He only shook his head.

She walked up to him and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Kristoff, go get cleaned up and something to eat. We'll be here for a long time. Take the opportunity to do it now. I'll be here with her while you're gone."

Reluctantly, he nodded. Rising, he helped her settle into the chair and left the room.

Elsa took Anna's hand in hers and watched her sister's labored breathing. She could see beads of sweat on Anna's forehead and her reddened cheeks. Even her hand was warmer than before. The fever was progressing. "Anna, please, please don't leave me. I don't know how I can do this without you." But Elsa knew her silent plea was as futile as wishing she could fly to the moon by flapping her arms.

Anna stirred and opened her eyes. "Elsa? Kristoff?" a pained whisper was all she could get out.

"Kristoff will be back in a few minutes, honey. I sent him to get cleaned up and something to eat. We won't leave you. We'll be here for you." Elsa tried to reassure her sister.

"It's starting to hurt really bad. How long until …?" Anna was trying not to cry, but Elsa could feel her hand trembling.

"Shh...shh. The doctor can give you something for the pain. When it gets too bad, he can … give you enough to … to … let you sleep." Elsa's voice broke with those last few words.

"And not wake up … I get it. Elsa, I'm so sorry I didn't listen to you." Anna tugged at her sister's hand, trying to get her to look at her. Elsa had squeezed her eyes shut and whimpered when Anna had completed the horrible thought about not waking up. "Elsa, don't you dare blame yourself. This was my fault, all my fault."

Elsa just kept shaking her head and whimpering. "I don't know how I can go on without you, Anna … I'm not strong enough."

Anna managed to raise herself on one elbow and shake Elsa by the shoulder with her other hand. "Elsa, we had this conversation last fall. You can't give up; you have to go on. Remember me with fondness, miss me with sorrow, yes, but you can't slide into despair and misery. What kind of memorial would that be?" She fell back onto her pillow with a little cry of pain.

"Anna!" Elsa cradled her sister's face in both hands, gently stroking her cheeks with her thumbs. "I can try. But I love you so much, you are so important to me. I don't know what I'll do without you."

"You can do it, Elsa. I know you can." Anna tried to smile, but it was hard.

Kristoff returned to the room followed by the doctor.

"Your Highness, I can give you something to lessen the pain," he said to Anna.

"But not too much, right? I don't want to sleep … yet. I just need to feel a little better." Anna was firm.

"Not too much. And you won't sleep," he said. He gave her a small sip of the laudanum, then corked and put the bottle on the bedside table. "I'll be in my office down the hall. I'll check in every hour or so, but call if you need me."

"Elsa, could you … give me a few minutes with Kristoff? Alone?" Anna asked her. Elsa nodded and left the room.

"Kristoff, kiss me," Anna reached up to him.

"What?"

"I'm so sorry we won't be married and you won't be the father of my children. Kiss me, so I can tell you that with all my heart." She put her arms around his neck and pulled him to her. The kiss went on for some time. They both had tears in their eyes when it was over.

"Anna, I am so sorry we won't be able to be together and have children and grow old together and … " he stuttered.

"Me, too. I was so stupid, if I only listened to Elsa this never would have happened. Kristoff, don't you blame yourself, and don't you let her do it, either." Anna was insistent. "Now, kiss me again. I love you, and I want to remember this forever."

So he did.

When Elsa returned, the two of them were holding hands and actually smiling. Elsa was glad, but for herself she wasn't sure she would ever smile again.

"Hi, you." Elsa tried to feign a little smile for Anna but it didn't work.

"Hi, you, back." Anna responded. "Elsa, get in bed with me. I need a hug from my big sister."

"Anna, I … I don't want to hurt you," Elsa protested.

"Elsa, please, I need you … if this is going to happen, I want to be in your arms when it does."

Elsa shook her head, but she kicked off her shoes and got under the covers with Anna. Anna snuggled into her, wrapping her arms around Elsa and laying her head on her sister's shoulder. Kristoff moved the chair close enough to be able to gently stroke Anna's hair as she hugged Elsa.

"Elsa, I love you. Remember that. I will always love you, now and forever. This wasn't your fault. Just remember me as your loving little sister who always looked up to her big sister, okay?" Anna's voice was a little muffled as she cuddled herself into Elsa's warm hug.

"I'll be with mama and papa, and we'll be watching over you so nothing bad ever happens to you again. And we'll be waiting for you in about 75 years or so when it's finally your time. Maybe 100 years, okay?"

Elsa managed a muffled "O..okay" through the grief that threatened to strangle her. She stroked Anna's hair and kissed her tenderly again.

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An eternity later, Anna stirred and groaned. "Elsa?"

"I'm here, honey, I won't leave you." Elsa reassured her as she held her closer.

"I … I think it's time to let the doctor … I think it's time to let me go." Anna whimpered, a sound that cut Elsa and Kristoff to the quick. "It hurts really bad now."

Elsa shivered and tried to speak but she couldn't. "No, I can't let you go. Please don't leave me." She buried her face in Anna's hair.

Anna groaned again. She could tell Elsa was too far gone in her grief to let go of her for anything.

"Kristoff, hand me that bottle, would you?" Anna looked at him with longing.

"What, Anna, no!" Elsa started to protest, but Anna put a finger over her lips to shush her.

"Yes, Elsa. The pain is getting … bad. Please, it's time." She kissed Elsa tenderly.

Kristoff's hand was shaking as he gave her the bottle. "I love you, Feisty Pants. I'll never love another woman like you again."

"Of course you won't. How could you? There's only one of me," she could tease him even at a time like this. "But, you might be able to love some woman who isn't like me. And she will be the luckiest woman in the world, because you are special, Kristoff. I love you."

She drank from the bottle until it was empty, then threw it away and snuggled into Elsa's arms again. "I was afraid, but I can't be afraid when you hold me, Elsa. I love you. I love y ..." her voice trailed off.

"I love you, Anna." Elsa held her close until she felt Anna's last breath leave her body. She didn't let her go for a long time after that. Kristoff's shoulders shook with the silent sobs of a strong man pushed beyond his limits. The doctor found them that way when he came in to check on his patient.

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It took the doctor and Gerda a long time to coax Elsa out of the room. It was Kristoff who was finally able to penetrate her haze and gently help her stand. She stared at her sister, not believing Anna was really gone. She was just sleeping, she'd wake up soon and they'd play like they used to.

"Elsa, come on. Let them … do what needs to be done, okay?" He wrapped his arms around her and tried to get her to leave. At first she wouldn't move, then she pushed him away and fell to her knees next to the bed. The snow began to fall and the frost coated the walls again. Her sobs were almost silent but her body shook with her anguished breathing.

Kristoff knelt next to her and tried again. "Please, Elsa, please. You know she wouldn't want this. Let us take you to bed, please."

A long shudder went through Elsa's body and for a moment Kristoff thought she had stopped breathing, too. Then she took in a great gulping breath, and tried to push herself up from the floor. Kristoff again wrapped his arms around her and got her on her feet. Gerda helped him and they walked her out to the hallway. Kai and others were waiting there, one look at Elsa telling them all they needed to know. Everyone hung their heads and many began to quietly weep.

Elsa looked around and freed herself from Gerda and Kristoff's support. She stood straight, took a deep breath and announced, "My … my sister is d … dead. I … I decree a mourning period of 30 days. Her funeral will be in three days." Then she collapsed into unconsciousness and would have hit the floor in a boneless heap if Kristoff hadn't caught her.

He lifted her into his arms and followed Gerda to Elsa's room.

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 _To the solemn graves, near a lonely cemetery, my heart like a muffled drum is beating funeral marches._

― _**Charles Baudelaire**_

 _"How could you go about choosing something that would hold the half of your heart you had to bury?"  
 **― Jodi Picoult, Mercy**_

Elsa woke up twelve hours later. It had been a restless sleep, tormented by nightmares: the accident when they were children, the icy blue statue of Anna on the fjord, the hospital bed with a lifeless Anna. Elsa was so exhausted she couldn't even wake up from the dreams, so she suffered through them again and again. Finally she had the energy to scream and sit up. She was panting like she had run all the way up the North Mountain; her eyes were wild and unseeing; her voice was hoarse as she called Anna's name in vain.

"Your Majesty?" The voice seemed to be coming from far away. "Your Majesty!" Someone was shaking her gently.

"G...gerda? I had the most awful dream..." Elsa focused on the woman holding her, saw the look of sad sympathy in her eyes and remembered that it wasn't a dream, it was real, it had happened, she had lost Anna. She slumped and put her face in her hands.

"Your Majesty. Please. There are things that need to be … done." Gerda's heart was breaking with her own grief, but she knew it couldn't compare to what Elsa was feeling. Anna's loss was a blow to the entire kingdom, and it wasn't at all clear yet if it would cost them their queen as well as their princess.

The Queen finally nodded and got out of bed. She was still unsteady on her feet and Gerda helped her wash and dress for the day.

Elsa looked at herself in the mirror, loathing the mourning dress she was wearing, black and dark gray and a hint of deep purple. She wanted to smash the mirror, destroy the reality it was showing her. But she knew it wouldn't change the waking nightmare she found herself in. She had Gerda help her arrange her hair into the same style she had worn on her coronation day. It felt more formal, more constricting, like the tight cage of grief that made it hard for her to breathe. She wore the small crown, too, even though it weighed on her like a burden too much to bear.

"Take me to Anna, Gerda." The words grated in her throat like broken glass.

Kai was waiting for them in the hall. He would be announcing the arrangements when Elsa had made her decisions. The three of them went down to the room in the lowest, coolest part of the castle where members of the royal family were prepared for burial. When they entered, Elsa's knees almost buckled again as she saw Anna lying there with a sheet tucked up to her chin, covering her. Gerda steadied her and she went to Anna's side and caressed her sister's cheek as her eyes welled with tears again.

"Anna, I don't know how I'll go on without you." Elsa whispered.

Gerda let Elsa mourn for a few moments, then cleared her throat and asked, "Your Majesty, how should we … dress her?"

"I'll do it." Elsa stood straight and gestured over Anna's body. Kai and Gerda gasped as the sheet dissolved into a dress every bit as beautiful as the one Elsa had created for herself on North Mountain. This dress was purest white, with delicate snowflakes and crocuses highlighting the bodice and skirt. The scoop neckline and capped sleeves showed Anna's freckles against her pale skin. Elsa didn't create any shoes; Anna had loved to run barefoot through the meadows in the summer. Now she could run barefoot through an eternal summer.

When the dress was complete, Elsa held her hands out over her sister for a beat more. Gerda thought she saw a pale blue glow flow between them.

The Queen sighed, dropped her hands and turned away. "Comb her hair out so it is free and will frame her beauty on the pillow. A garland of the spring crocuses as a crown, white and gold and purple."

"Your Majesty, did you do … something … with your magic?" Kai asked.

Elsa nodded. "Yes. Something to preserve her, so she wouldn't … wouldn't ..." she couldn't finish. They understood what she had done.

"When shall we have the viewing?" Gerda asked.

"We'll have a private one in the chapel as soon as she's ready. Just the staff. Kristoff. No one else, just the people who loved her and took care of her. Tomorrow morning, we'll allow the people of Arendelle to say goodbye to their princess until we bury her the day after." Elsa's voice was dull and lifeless. She touched Anna's cheek again, then leaned over to kiss her tenderly on her lips. "Anna, how I wish a true love's kiss would bring you back to me..." But this was no fairy tale, and Elsa would have no happy ending.

The little group left.

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Kai went off to make the arrangements for Anna while Gerda took Elsa to the dining room.

"I don't think I can eat." Elsa said. Her posture was stooped and she was was hugging herself the way she would in the past.

"Your Majesty, this is the hardest thing that you've ever had to deal with. You will need all your strength to get through this, and if you don't eat you will collapse. You're still not recovered from that whole affair at the warehouse," Gerda tried to persuade her.

Elsa shrugged and sat. "Where's Kristoff?"

"I'm not sure," Gerda replied.

"He's hurting as badly as I am. Please have the guard go find him. I need to talk to him."

A servant put a bowl of broth and some tea in front of Elsa. She just stared at them vacantly for a few minutes, then began to eat in a desultory fashion. She knew Gerda was right; she had to maintain her strength to get through the next three days. After that … she couldn't think about 'after that' right now. She wasn't sure she had an 'after that' to think about.

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Elsa was sitting in the library staring with unseeing eyes at the fire. Kai came in and approached her.

"Your Majesty, apparently Mr. Bjorgman has left the castle. He left this note for you."

She took it and read it. Kristoff had gone to see the trolls, his family. He would be back later tonight.

"Kai, please make sure that Kristoff has whatever he needs to dress appropriately for the funeral. I know he'll be too proud to ask, but he's part of the family, even if they weren't able to announce their engage … " she stopped and took a shaky breath. "He will have a place of honor, with me, for everything. And he is is NOT to spend the nights in the stable. He has whatever room he wants in the castle. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. We all like Mr. Bjorgman. We were glad that he and Princess Anna were … " he was cut short by her gesture.

"I want to know when he returns, no matter what time he comes back." she continued. "I don't think I'll be sleeping much in any case."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Kai cleared his throat. "Your Majesty? Your sister is in the church if you would like to … see her?"

"Yes." Elsa's voice was so soft he almost didn't hear her. She rose and they left the library.

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As they crossed the courtyard to the church, Elsa could see that it was draped with mourning bunting, as was the castle. She imagined the entire town would have similar black drapings on many of the buildings.

Two of the Queen's Own Guard stood at the church doors in their dress uniforms and black mourning armbands. They saluted as she passed and she nodded in return.

Inside, Anna lay on a bier covered in Arendelle's colors. Her hair was combed out as Elsa had ordered and the garland of small crocus flowers framed her brow. There were more flowers arranged around her body, their sweet fragrance mingling with the scent of incense and beeswax candles arrayed behind the bier. Two more guards stood at attention, one at her head, the other at the foot of the bier. They did not salute. They would not make any motion until relieved by the next pair of guards.

Elsa stared dully at her sister. How beautiful she was, even in death. Elsa knelt and rested her forehead on the edge of the bier and began to weep quietly, wishing once again that the whole day would be some horrible dream she could wake up from.

Kai stood behind her and was lost in his own thoughts about the Princess. He and Gerda had been hired before the two princesses had been born, and loved the girls almost as much as their own children. After everything the two had endured, to have it end like this seemed … unbearable. He worried that it would be literally unbearable for Elsa.

The Queen finally stood up, leaned over and kissed her sister again. Turning away, she walked up the aisle and out the church door. It was almost dusk. Turning to Kai, she said, "I will be in my study. Let the staff pay their respects now until midnight. We'll open the church again in the morning for the people. Make sure I know when Kristoff returns."

She went into the castle.

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It was after midnight. The remnants of a light supper sat on Elsa's desk; she hadn't eaten much but had forced herself to choke down some food. It sat like lead in her stomach.

She was sitting in the window bay, staring out over the fjord, lost in memory. She might have been dozing when a light knock on the door roused her. She stood and called, "Come."

Kristoff came in. He was dressed in an elegant black mourning suit. "Hi."

She walked over to him and embraced him, then began to cry and get tears all over his suit. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his cheek on her head. "Shhh. It's okay, Elsa, let it out. We're going to miss her, it's okay to cry."

"I can't deal with this, Kristoff. I can't survive this." Elsa sobbed into his chest.

"Elsa, I'm not going to tell you not to grieve. You lost the most precious thing in the world. You loved her, like she loved you, and that love saved this kingdom. Every time we love someone we risk losing them and the price of that loss is grief. But the pain of grief is a tiny thing compared to the pain of never loving anyone." His own heart was broken but he needed to lend his strength to Elsa.

"Have … have you seen her?" She pulled back from his arms and wiped her cheeks. "Don't feel, don't feel, don't feel …" The chant wore a groove in her mind as she tried to deaden the pain and failed miserably.

"Not yet. Kai was waiting for me when I came back. After I got Sven stabled he took me to a room and showed me this suit. So I cleaned up and changed and came right here. I … I needed to see you, see if you were … well, I know 'alright' isn't the word. I'm not good with words," he finished sheepishly.

"There are no words for this, Kristoff." Elsa hung her head.

"Will … will you come with me?" he asked in a quiet voice. She looked up at him and realized again she was not the only one hurting beyond words.

Elsa reached up to stroke his cheek tenderly. "Yes," she whispered. "He would have been a brother-in-truth to you, Elsa. Share his burden, for her sake."

She took his arm in hers and they left for the church.

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Elsa sat in a pew and let Kristoff have some privacy to mourn Anna in his own way. The hollowness in her chest still made it hard to breathe and her thoughts still spiraled in circles of self-loathing for her failure to protect Anna. Again.

A small voice next to her startled her out of her useless inner accusations. "Elsa?" It was Olaf.

How do you explain a concept like death to a snowman? Elsa looked at her little snowlem. He looked as forlorn as he had that day on the fjord. She didn't need to explain it, he knew. "Olaf, we're mourning Anna. Will you stay with us and mourn her too?" She reached down and took his twiggy hand and they walked up to Kristoff and Anna.

Kristoff turned when he sensed their presence. Elsa saw the tracks of his tears on his face and choked back her own sobs.

Olaf stood as tall as he could on his stubby little legs and patted Anna's arm. "I would have melted for you, Anna."

The three of them sat with Anna until the sun shone through the windows, lost in their individual grief, holding hands to share it with each other.

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Elsa felt a light touch on her shoulder and Kai asked softly, "Your Majesty? It's morning, an hour past dawn."

She had been staring at her sister for hours now, trying to remember her as she was; lively, exuberant, laughing. Not like this, so still; Anna was never still. Never had Elsa longed for the years they had lost more than she did this night; the years that had been stolen from them. The injustice of it threatened her sanity.

"Elsa?" Kristoff patted her hand. She looked at him, then at Kai.

"Yes, right. Morning..." she rose, still holding Olaf's hand. "Come, Olaf."

The three of them left the church. Elsa blinked at the bright sunlight after the dimness of the chapel. Why was the sun shining? How could it shine when everything bright in Elsa's life was gone? She looked around the courtyard and gasped.

The line of people waiting filled the courtyard and snaked out through the gates into the city. They were all dressed in mourning clothes and many of them were crying quietly, even the men. They were here to say goodbye to Anna. She heard soft murmurs of, "The Queen..." as the crowd recognized her. A path opened as the crowd parted to allow them to walk from the steps of the church to the castle entrance. As they passed, her people bowed or curtsied, and many of them said things like, "We're sorry." or "Have courage, Your Majesty." She could only nod in return as she tried to walk without stumbling.

Inside the castle at last, she stood trembling for a moment before turning to Kristoff. "Do you need anything? Just ask Kai. I'm going to … try to sleep. Until dinner. You'll be at dinner, won't you?"

Kristoff hugged her. "Yeah, I'll be at dinner. Right now I'm going to change into real clothes and go spend some time with Sven. Olaf, come with me?"

Olaf nodded sadly. They parted ways and Elsa managed to find her way to her room. She changed into a nightdress and crawled into bed. She tossed and turned for an hour before her muddled brain and exhausted body finally shut down enough to let her sleep.

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When she woke from her troubled sleep, it was dark. She sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the wall, trying to find the energy to even stand up. She would have sat there for hours if Gerda hadn't knocked softly, then peeked around the door. "Your Majesty, may I help you get dressed?"

Elsa just looked at her like Gerda was speaking some foreign language that Elsa didn't know. Dressed? For what? They wouldn't bury Anna until tomorrow. Maybe if she just sat here, time would stop and it wouldn't happen. No. Unfortunately, no.

"Yes, Gerda. I would appreciate that." Elsa managed to remember how to stand up.

After refreshing herself and dressing in her mourning garb again, Elsa let Gerda coax her to eat something. When she entered the dining room, she found Kristoff there, just finishing his meal. His posture, slumped shoulders and cheek resting on his hand, told her everything she needed to know. He moved the food on his plate around in an aimless fashion.

"Kristoff."

He looked up at her and nodded. Smiles weren't in his vocabulary either. Maybe neither one of them would ever smile again.

She sat and waited for her meal to be brought. The food clogged her throat like ash, and was about as tasteless. It didn't matter; it was just fuel, something to keep her soulless body animate. Her soul rested on a bier in the church outside.

"Your Majesty?" Kai appeared at her elbow.

"Yes?"

"I think … you should ... there is something you need to see."

She shrugged and rose to follow him. She held out a hand to Kristoff in a silent plea for him to join her.

Kai led them to one of the balconies overlooking the courtyard. When he opened the door and bowed Elsa and Kristoff through, they were astonished by the sight that greeted them.

The courtyard was packed with mourners, each holding a candle; it was as if the stars had come down from the heavens just for Anna. Elsa could see that the line went out through the gate, across the causeway, and filled the town square. She choked back a little sob and squeezed Kristoff's hand so hard he flinched. Anna had been well known to the people of Arendelle for less than a year, but she had clearly won their hearts.

As Elsa and Kristoff took in this stunning sight, people in the crowd became aware that she was standing there on the balcony. There were murmurs of "The Queen" beginning to circulate through the crowd and more and more of them turned to look at Elsa. As one, the crowd bowed to their Queen, sharing her grief and the loss of the beloved Princess Anna of Arendelle.

Elsa managed to raise her hand in acknowledgment to the crowd. Their love helped, a little.

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" _Your coffin reached the monstrous hole. And a part of me went down into the muddy earth with you and lay down next to you and died with you."_ _  
_ _―_ _ **Rosamund Lupton**_ _,_ _ **Sister**_

The next day, Elsa floated through the funeral on a black cloud of misery. None of her senses seemed to be working properly. The chapel kept zooming in and out of focus, the sounds were too loud or meaningless hums. The only thing that ever seemed sharp and clear was Anna lying there so beautiful, so still.

Finally the interminable singing and chanting and invocations were done. The pallbearers surrounded the bier and carefully lifted it to their shoulders and began a slow, hieratic march out of the church.

Outside, a caisson waited. When Kristoff had harnessed Sven to pull it, any objections from anyone foolish enough to offer an opinion died at the look on Kristoff and Elsa's faces. Sven it would be.

The pallbearers carefully positioned the bier on the caisson and secured it, then stepped back into their places in the procession. Kristoff took Elsa's hand and they followed their lover, their sister to the hillside where her parents' memorial stones waited.

Not everyone in Arendelle could join the procession; they could line the route, however, and they did. White, gold and purple crocus flowers were strewn to carpet the path for Anna as the procession took Anna to her final rest. A new stone stood between the two that had been erected in memory of their parents, lost at sea so long ago. She would be buried without a coffin. The good earth of Arendelle would take her into its embrace, cherishing her until she was one with the land she had loved so much.

Elsa looked at the stone looming over the the grave they had prepared for Anna. A grave that Elsa had instructed be dug deeper than usual. So there would be no need to make room for another stone when Elsa went to join Anna and her parents.

The pallbearers, this time including Kristoff, took the bier from the caisson that had brought Anna from the castle. They placed it carefully on the ground in front of the grave. A groom led Sven and the caisson away. Kristoff came and stood next to Elsa. She leaned on him to borrow his strength. Again.

Finally, it was over. The Bishop had finished the invocations, the mourners had filed past the grave one last time and then back to Arendelle. Elsa was alone with Kristoff, Olaf and Anna. And Sven. They had brought a horse to take the caisson back; Sven had been unhitched to stay behind with his people. The four of them huddled together in their grief.

Elsa stepped forward and knelt beside her sister. She brought something out from under her dark mourning cloak. It was a child's doll, with platinum blond hair and a little golden crown. Elsa tucked it carefully under Anna's arm, then kissed her one last time. "I'll always be with you, Anna. And you will always be in my heart, little sister."

She wasn't crying; Elsa wasn't sure there were any more tears in her. She wasn't sure if she would ever feel anything ever again. She was numb; her heart had been torn from her and it would be buried here on this hillside.

Elsa turned to Kristoff and reached out to him. He helped her stand and she leaned into him. "I'm going to walk a little way down with Olaf. We'll wait for you." She felt him nod. "Come, Olaf," and she took the little snowlem's hand and they left Kristoff to say his last goodbye to the woman who should have been his wife.

~ to be continued ~


	3. Chapter 2-Justice, Not Vengence

Since the day of my birth, my death began its walk. It is walking toward me, without hurrying.

\- **Jean Cocteau**

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It had been a week since the burial. No one except Gerda had seen Queen Elsa since she had returned to the castle and disappeared into her room. Gerda brought her meals and took the mostly untouched food back to the kitchen afterward.

Today the Royal Council was meeting only because she hadn't sent any messages to them that it wasn't, but they didn't really know whether to expect their queen to appear or not. They sat at the table speaking softly about the recent events. Suddenly the main door swung open and Elsa walked in and sat down. She didn't seem to notice that they were too stunned to rise and bow as was proper.

Her skin was sallow, dark circles under her eyes highlighted the gaunt hollows of her cheeks. She had been slender before, but she had clearly lost weight. Admiral Naismith caught Bishop Norgaard's eye and shook his head in a minute movement too small for anyone to notice if they had not been looking for it. He could tell that Elsa was – unwell.

She looked around the table, her expression showing no emotion, no feeling. She could have been ready to discuss the latest fishing harvest instead of the macabre events of the recent days. "We will skip the usual agenda items. Admiral, what of those animals that attempted this vile treason?"

Naismith cleared his throat and opened the leather dispatch case that lay on the table in front of him. "Your Majesty, this man using the name 'Saint-Just' was so demoralized by what you did to Pierre that he was almost hysterical trying to tell us everything we wanted to know," Naismith began. "It appears that Baron Thorstad was in fact engaged in treason, just not the same treasonous conspiracy that Pierre tried to pull off. What Thorstad **thought** they were doing was a plan to kill Master Bjorgman, then kill you and several other high officials in an effort to put Princess Anna on the throne and have a suitor favorable to them comfort her in her grief and presumably become her consort."

Elsa's thoughts twisted her face in a rictus of rage that startled the men at the table, _"These men were evil, completely indifferent to human life. And the only person they succeeded in murdering was Anna."_ Out loud, she asked, "If that wasn't the real plan, what was Pierre's actual motivation?" Her voice was low, almost a growl.

Naismith's expression was grim. "It seems that Monsieur Rob S. Pierre was an unreconstructed _Montagnard,_ one of those brutal fanatics that made the Reign of Terror such a terrible stain on the French Revolution. He felt that his father, who died in the reaction to the Reign of Terror, had been betrayed. Pierre was only ten when his father died, and swore vengeance on all royalty. He's apparently spent the last 30 years murdering his way through several realms. Saint-Just couldn't even give us a good estimate of how many people they had killed over that period of time."

Elsa leaned back and put her head against the chair back, her eyes squeezed shut, her hands gripping the arms of her chair so hard they were bloodless. _"Murdering fanatics_ _:_ _the flotsam of the horrors that have convulsed Europe for fifty years, and they had to wash up on our shores. Oh, Anna."_

There was silence in the room; finally the Admiral spoke up. "Your Majesty? What should we do with them?"

Elsa leaned forward. "Do, Admiral? If I were to indulge myself they would all be hanged in the morning."

The fury in her voice and the bitterness of her expression frightened them. They were wondering when the next winter would begin. They were wondering why it hadn't already.

She visibly struggled to get herself under control. "But that would be vengeance, not justice. I cannot bring myself to be **just** to the men who murdered my sister." She looked at the Admiral. "Their crimes could be considered piracy, am I correct?"

Naismith's eyes narrowed as he weighed what she was asking. "Yes, Your Majesty, they could."

"Then try them in the Admiralty court as pirates. I leave them to you for **justice**." The word was an ugly expletive from her lips. She rose, and this time they had the presence of mind to stand and bow to her as she swept out of the room.

No one spoke for a long moment after the Queen left. No one _breathed_ for a long moment after she left.

Bishop Norgaard finally asked, "What will you do, Mikael?"

"Do, Henrik? Why, we shall give them a fair trial, a scrupulously fair trial. And then we will hang the murderers and imprison the rest. Or ship them back to other kingdoms that wish to try them for crimes committed there, as our Queen has ordered." Naismith shrugged. "It's better than they deserve, but life is full of little disappointments. I wouldn't be as kind as she is, if it were up to me. Keelhauling is too good for those scum, much less hanging. Things like this foul crime make me wish that drawing and quartering hadn't gone out of fashion."

Torbjørn Solheim reacted to this with a start. "Really, Admiral Naismith, how barbaric."

Naismith eyes were gunmetal gray. They bored into Solheim's like the cannon on his flagship. "Barbaric, Solheim? Not nearly barbaric enough, in my opinion."

"Harrumph. She is being arbitrary." Solheim sputtered.

"On the contrary; she is not being arbitrary, she is being merciful. Remember, Solheim, the laws of Arendelle give the monarch the power of High and Low justice over every man, woman and child in this realm, citizen or visitor. Those laws still hold; it is only the willingness of the monarchy to delegate their power to the courts that gives the courts any authority at all."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that she could have decreed that every last one of those animals be put to death in the most gruesome way known to man and it would be legal. And that there would be volunteers lined up from here to the North Mountain to carry out that decree. She is not the only one in this kingdom who loved Princess Anna."

Solheim looked nauseated. Naismith and the Bishop left the chamber, followed closely by the rest of them.

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Kristoff had spent almost three weeks away from Arendelle. He harvested ice until he was so tired he could sleep without seeing Anna in his dreams. That took two weeks. Then he went back to visit his family. They all knew what had happened; Kristoff had come to them the very first night. So they didn't greet him with their usual carefree exuberance. Instead they left him alone with his foster parents and GrandPabbie.

"Kristoff, how are you?" Bulda looked at her adopted son with her soft gray eyes. Like every mother in the history of the world, she felt the pain that her child felt in her own heart. Additionally, Anna had visited the trolls quite often and had become known and loved by them. She was missed in her own right, not just because Kristoff was miserable in his grief over her death.

He sat on one of the ledges and put his head in his hands. "Not sure. The bad dreams have slowed down some. Don't think they'll ever stop. But I can sleep without waking up screaming her name." He looked up at the three trolls around him. "Pabbie, please tell me I'll heal."

"You will probably heal. But it will take time; your love for Anna was new, but it was deep and profound. It will take time for the pain to diminish. Cherish her memory, Kristoff. Remember the good times you had together." Pabbie reached out to gently place his hand on Kristoff's knee. He was sorry that this man, his adopted grandson, had to bear so much pain. He was even sorrier for the reason he had to. Anna had been a unique light in the world bringing happiness to so many people. Her death and the sorrow it brought was devastating to Kristoff, and he knew it could be deadly to Anna's sister, and even dangerous to Arendelle. "Share those memories with Elsa; shared grief is diminished, it will help both of you."

Kristoff just nodded glumly. Elsa. It was time to get back to Arendelle.

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In the weeks that followed Elsa was never seen outside the castle and she never came out of her room or her study except for council meetings. She had also returned to the 'three hours once a month' Council meeting schedule that she had kept when she was still trying to hide her powers. She had been less lonely then, at least Anna could be heard through the bedroom door or glimpsed through the windows. Now she was entirely alone. She spent her days alone and her nights alone. She took her meals alone – when she remembered to eat.

At the June meeting, Admiral Naismith brought up a topic they had discussed among themselves. He was the only one willing to face Elsa's wrath if she reacted badly.

"That concludes this month's agenda. Thank you, gentlemen." Elsa made to stand up and leave when Naismith interrupted her.

"I must beg your pardon, Your Majesty, but we would like to ask your indulgence for two additional topics before we adjourn."

She didn't react except to sit down again. "Do go on, Admiral."

"Ahem ... Next month will be one year since your coronation. We wanted to explore the possibility of a cele – "

"No." Elsa's voice was harsh and firm. "There is nothing to celebrate."

After a moment of silence, Naismith continued, "Of course. Then there is one more minor detail. We have not yet filled the vacancy left by the murder of Baron Thorstad. Do you have any opinions on candidates to join us?"

The Council members could suggest candidates, but only Elsa could decide to appoint someone to her Royal Council. Under the circumstances, no one felt comfortable making suggestions of their own.

Elsa was taken aback. She hadn't even considered the need to fill the vacancy on the Council. Now that the subject was brought up, she had to think who would be a good candidate. One name occurred to her, but she was not sure the man would accept the appointment.

"Yes, I do have a name in mind. But I will need to ask if they would be willing to serve," she finally said. "If they agree, I will introduce them to you next month."

"Your Majesty, may we ask who – "

"No, you may not. This meeting is adjourned." This time Elsa did leave. She went looking for Kai.

Finding Kai in the kitchen, she approached him to ask if he knew where Kristoff was. Sven was still stabled in the castle, and Kristoff still slept in a room in the grooms' quarters, refusing accommodations in the castle's residence wing. Elsa felt a sharp stab of guilt that she had not spoken to him since Anna's funeral. She was not the only one still mourning her sister's loss.

Kai replied, "Your Majesty, I believe that Kristoff is in town today for Ice Guild business. Would you like to send for him?"

"Yes, Kai. But make it an invitation for dinner. I have sadly neglected Kristoff and I wouldn't blame him for being angry with me. If he refuses the invitation, request that he come by tomorrow to speak to me."

"Of course, Your Majesty. Do you have any special requests for dinner?"

"No, anything that you know Kristoff enjoys is fine. I'll be in my study. Please let me know what his answer is when it arrives."

Several hours later, Elsa was broken out of yet another melancholy reverie of self-blame for Anna's death by a knock on her study door. "Your Majesty? Master Bjorgman is here for dinner. He's waiting in the small dining room."

Getting up from her seat on the window bay she went to the door and opened it, startling Kai. "Thank you, Kai. I'll join him immediately."

At the door to the dining room she hesitated. Was he angry? Would he even want to speak to her? He was her last link to her sister; it was unfair to him, it felt like she was using him, but he was the only person she felt comfortable talking about Anna with. She decided he wouldn't have come for dinner if he was terribly angry with her. She gathered her courage and went in.

Kristoff was looking out the window, hands clasped behind his back. He turned when he heard the door open. "Elsa. Uh, how are you doing?"

"No, Kristoff, I'm the one who should be asking that. I owe you an apology, an abject apology. I've neglected you and Sven, selfishly forgetting that I am not the only one grieving. Can I hope that you'll forgive me?" she asked in a shaky voice, managing to hold back her tears.

He approached her, not really sure if it was proper, but he could see she was in pain and there was one thing he had learned from Olaf: warm hugs helped with pain. He held his arms open, watching to see if she would recoil and pull away. Instead he found himself holding a sobbing woman dripping tears on his tunic. He rested his cheek on the top of her head as he hugged her. "Shhh...it's okay, Elsa. It's okay."

They remained in that pose until Elsa was able to compose herself. She pulled back a little and looked up at him. "Thank you. Thank you for understanding." She wiped her cheeks and sniffled. "Let's sit. And get caught up."

He held her chair for her; he had learned some etiquette from Anna before she … he squelched that thought and sat across from Elsa. The table was small – just the right size for four people. He reflected on the three ghosts that were surely there with them and thought, _"Miss you, Feisty Pants. Don't ever think I don't."_

It had been almost two months since the funeral. Just enough time that Anna was no longer in every thought he had, just enough time that he was no longer reminded of her by everything he saw as he walked through Arendelle _._ He glanced at Elsa and knew that it was worse for her – she had to spend every minute of her day surrounded by Anna's spirit. He remembered Pabbie's words and realized they were wise. Kristoff and Elsa shared a love for Anna; they had both lost the most precious thing in their lives. Maybe shared memories could help them both heal.

After a meal filled with small talk about what Kristoff and Sven had been up to, business of the ice guild, and even Sven/Olaf antics, the two of them sat drinking coffee after dessert. Elsa was clearly a thousand miles away now, her eyes focused somewhere over Kristoff's shoulder, a melancholy silence filling the room. Kristoff cleared his throat and brought her attention back to him.

"Elsa, it's been good to see you again. I should have been around more for you, can we make this something regular? It doesn't have to be a meal, just … visiting. Maybe watching Sven and Olaf terrorize the Town Watch. I … hate the thought that you're all alone," Kristoff said.

She replied, "Actually, Kristoff, one of the reasons I asked you to come was to see if you were willing to do something for me."

"Anything, Elsa. You know that."

"Ah, this may be something you won't be very enthused about." She paused, then went on before she lost the courage to ask him, "I would like to appoint you to my Royal Advisory Council."

"You're right," he said slowly. "That doesn't sound like my cup of tea." He looked at her, trying to read her thoughts. "Why do you think I would be someone that should be on the Council?"

"I trust you. You're the Master of an important guild, even if it is relatively new. You know a lot about what is going on in the kingdom. And … I trust you," She finished lamely.

There was a rather long silence. Kristoff was thinking and Elsa wasn't going to push him into a hasty decision. He finally looked at her and said, "Alright. I'll do it. Elsa breathed a sigh of thanks. "What do I need to do?"

"Thank you. I … know I am asking a lot of you. The duties are simple, for all their importance. You need to attend the monthly Council meeting, Kai can give you the schedule. Each member receives an agenda one week in advance, with notations on items that will require action or a vote at the meeting; that way the members can study up on the issue."

Kristoff nodded and frowned in thought. Finally he said, "Speaking of studying, I'll need to do some. My 'education' is real world, not book learning."

Elsa thought back to all the times her father had used those same words as he was training her to follow him in ruling Arendelle. She chuckled mirthlessly and said, "Kristoff, 'real world' is why I need someone like you. If you feel you require any background information on anything, all you have to do is ask Kai. He'll arrange anything you want. For that matter, I'm sure Bishop Norgaard and Admiral Naismith would be glad to help you as well."

He nodded. "Okay, now you need to do something for me."

Quizzically, she asked, "What?"

"Eat more. Sleep more. I can tell that you haven't been. I get why you aren't, and I may not be the most tactful person in the world, but you look awful." He reached across the table to lay his hand on hers. "Please, Elsa, you need to take care of yourself. For her. You know she'd be kicking you across the courtyard if she saw you like this."

Elsa looked into his warm brown eyes and managed to nod. "I know," she whispered. "I'll … I'll try. But, Kristoff, I miss her so much!" The welling tears began to run down her cheeks. Kristoff patted her hand and waited for her to pull herself together. His own stoicism kept him from any more overt gesture, lest he break down as well. He berated himself for the weakness he couldn't show her.

Eventually she was able to wipe her eyes and say, "Thank you. Again. My Royal Ice Master and Deliverer." She even managed a tiny smile. He smiled back.

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Kristoff was introduced to the rest of the Council at the next monthly meeting. Admiral Naismith and Bishop Norgaard approved and welcomed him warmly. The other four members of the Council were not as enthusiastic. Some because they looked down on 'commoners' such as Kristoff. Some just didn't know him very well. But it was Elsa's prerogative to appoint anyone at all that she chose for her Council, so it wasn't subject to a vote. She could have appointed Olaf ... or Sven, and they couldn't have objected.

By winter, Kristoff had been serving on the Council for six months. It was real winter, not the Elsa variety. He had surprised himself by being comfortable with the job. He had to work hard to prepare for some topics, but Elsa had been right when she had told him he could get help. Kai, Norgaard and Naismith had all been happy to help, as eventually had others on the council. And Kristoff was an intelligent man, quick-witted and clever, even if he lacked credentials from formal schooling.

The latest meeting was winding down; they had finished the last agenda item and Kristoff began tidying up his notes to stuff them into the leather bag he used as a briefcase. Torbjørn Solheim cleared his throat rather loudly and said, "Your Majesty, I would like to discuss one further item, if it pleases you."

Kristoff rolled his eyes and tried not to be too obvious about it. Solheim was a pretentious prig who had made it plain that Kristoff was beneath his notice and was unfit to be on the Council with his 'betters'. Kristoff wondered why Elsa didn't just kick the man off the Council; he annoyed her regularly. Whatever he wanted to talk about, Kristoff was sure it wouldn't please her.

"Yes, Mister Solheim?" Elsa replied. She had her _'Queen pretending to pay attention'_ look on her face. Kristoff recognized it even if the rest of them didn't. Although he suspected Naismith and the Bishop recognized it, too. They had their _"Again? You idiot..."_ faces on.

"Your Majesty, I reluctantly ask that we consider the matter of your heir - " He began, but never finished.

"No." Elsa cut him off with a sharp slap on the table. "I have told you before, this is not something that I will discuss in Council. This meeting is adjourned!" She stood and left before they had a chance to rise and bow as was customary. The door slammed behind her and Kristoff noticed that the table had iced over where she slapped it. Not good.

"Hmmph. She needs to consider Arendelle, not her own selfish wishes," Solheim spluttered.

Kristoff winced as he realized that idiot or not, Solheim was actually correct about the kingdom's need for an heir. If anything happened to Elsa, there was no clear line of succession and fifty years of recent history in Europe had shown all the bloodshed and sundry other nastiness that could result from such a situation. But Kristoff knew the pain Elsa would feel as she considered WHY there was the need for an heir, and how she would probably just spiral down another vortex of self-blame and guilt for what had happened to Anna.

The Admiral's eyes narrowed and a deep frown appeared as he spoke, "Solheim, shut up. Just ... shut up. Unless you are interested in a meeting on the field of honor." The glare he sent Solheim's way would have caused seasoned officers to tremble in their boots. Kristoff was worried that Kai would have to mop the floor under Solheim's chair from the way he cringed at the Admiral's words.

Solheim gathered his papers and left the room, closely followed by the other three Council members, at least one of whom nodded knowingly at the Admiral. They had no use for their fellow, either, it seemed.

Kristoff finished stuffing his notes into his bag and got up to leave.

"Kristoff!" Bishop Norgaard called his name. He and the Admiral had turned from where they were almost out the door.

"Yes, Your Grace?" Kristoff was always courteous.

"Would you join the Admiral and me for dinner?" asked the Bishop.

"Wait, what?" Kristoff sputtered. "Me? Dinner, with you guys?" They had treated him well in Council, but they had never mixed on a social basis. Even as the Master of a Guild, Kristoff's social standing was well below that of these two men.

"Yes," Naismith replied. "At the Bishop's home. We have something we need to discuss, privately."

"Ooookay. Tonight?" Kristoff asked.

"If that's convenient, 7 o'clock?" Norgaard said.

"Sure, 7 is fine. I'll be there." Kristoff was puzzled as to what they would want to discuss with him. He shrugged and put it out of his mind and headed for the Guild Hall.

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"Nils, that was a wonderful meal. You can leave the brandy and coffee, and we'll take care of ourselves for the rest of the evening," Norgaard was speaking to his butler as he and his guests walked to his study to enjoy the warm fire and comfortable chairs.

Kristoff was wondering when the big reveal would come. The three men had chatted amiably over dinner but it had been more or less routine gossip about events in the kingdom, questions about ice harvesting, and some review of rather mundane items that had been discussed in Council. Nothing that would make sense for the Bishop to invite him to dinner.

They settled into their chairs, each with a snifter of brandy. The Admiral raised his and said, "Gentlemen, the Queen! Long may she reign!"

"The Queen!" answered Kristoff and the Bishop, then drained their glasses as Naismith did. The Bishop poured them all refills and they settled back and watched the crackling fire for a few moments. The Admiral stirred and turned to Kristoff.

" _Here it comes. Wonder what 'it' is?"_ Kristoff thought to himself.

He almost dropped his brandy snifter when the Admiral said, "Kristoff, do you love Queen Elsa?"

"What!?" Kristoff slapped the side of his head to clear his ears. He must be hallucinating, or the brandy was far more intoxicating than one glass should be. "What kind of question is that?"

"A question of the future of Arendelle," replied the Bishop, a glum look on his face.

Kristoff was surprised, but Bulda hadn't raised a slow kid. "You're talking about that 'heir' business, aren't you?" Kristoff demanded. He couldn't believe they were having this conversation.

"Yes. Solheim is an ass, but he's not wrong about this. Even a broken clock is right twice a day," Naismith said. He was looking intently at Kristoff. "She needs to marry, Kristoff. Arendelle needs her to marry and produce an heir."

"I can't believe you two, of all people, would try to force her into ..." Kristoff responded angrily.

Naismith cut him off with a gesture. "Not force, never that. But … that's why we asked you the question. She trusts you."

"She would never marry a stranger." Norgaard again. They were taking turns working Kristoff over.

"Wait, what?! You're suggesting that **I** marry her?" Kristoff spluttered. He was beyond astonishment. They would have surprised him less if they had suggested he married Sven.

"Yes." A simple affirmative from the Bishop.

"Trusting me is one thing, marrying me is another! What makes you think she'd even entertain the idea in a million years? And what makes you think I would agree to it, anyway?" Kristoff was working himself into an indignant temper.

"We think you would think about it if you loved her," said Naismith.

"I DO love her, but not THAT way. I love her like a brother. I would have **been** her brother, if Anna … if ..." he choked and couldn't finish the sentence.

"But from that kind of love, perhaps something else can grow," Naismith explained. "Kristoff, most royals have **no** love in their marriages, just political expediency. Her parents had love, and the late King had intended that there would be marriages of love for his daughters, he was adamant about that. For that matter, Elsa would have blessed your engagement to Anna for the same reason; she was determined that Anna have a marriage of love, not politics."

Kristoff glowered at Norgaard. "Wasn't it your turn?" He asked the man. The Bishop shrugged.

"Give me more of that brandy," Kristoff held out his snifter to the Bishop to refill, then drained the glass in one swallow. He needed the buzz. Maybe it would drown out the insane conversation going on in his head. He was horrified to discover he was actually considering what the two older men were telling him; considering it as if it was possible, not something that could never be.

"The kingdom would go crazy; an ice harvester, a commoner, married to the Queen? Fathering the next heir to the throne?" he protested. "Look at the sneers at me when I was appointed to the Council!"

Norgaard shook his head, "Kristoff, if Anna had lived, a common ice harvester was going to be the father of the next heir to the throne of Arendelle anyway. Elsa had no intention of marrying and having children; she was content to let the succession pass through Anna," The bishop waited for Kristoff's realization. "Through you."

Kristoff was stunned. He had never thought about that. He had assumed that Elsa would eventually marry and have children of her own. Now that he had it spelled out like that, what the Bishop said made perfect sense. He had been blind not to see it. He groaned and put his face in his hands.

Norgaard and Naismith let him mull it over; they knew they were hitting him with something overwhelming.

Eventually Kristoff looked up at them and asked, "So, how do you see this working? The next time I have dinner with her, I just casually ask, 'Hey, Elsa, how about you and I get married? The kingdom needs an heir.' I'd wind up an ice sculpture in the garden with pigeons on my head."

"Ah, that's probably not the best way to approach it, no." Naismith said.

Kristoff glared at him. "You're a big help."

Norgaard said, "Kristoff, this is something you'll have to figure out. To start, you have to decide if this is something you're willing to do. We aren't asking this frivolously. To say that this is something that will disrupt your life is an understatement. Far more than a marriage to the Princess would have – you will be immediately thrown into the politics of ruling the kingdom at your wife's side. And even if you decide you are willing to take on this burden, there's no guarantee that she'll go along with it."

"And what if she doesn't?" demanded Kristoff.

"Then this kingdom's monarchy will probably end with her. There are only distant cousins left in the succession. And, worse, I'm not sure her reign will be long. We can only hope the transition to some other form of governance won't devolve into the sort of chaos we've seen elsewhere in the last 50 years." Naismith's face was bleak.

"What do you mean 'her reign won't be long'?" Kristoff was trying **not** to understand what the Admiral was saying.

Naismith looked at him with sorrow, "I mean, I'm afraid she won't live much longer. You see her more than we do. She's probably more open with you than anyone else on this earth. What do you see in her eyes, Kristoff?"

Kristoff felt sick to his stomach, "I see … despair. I see a grief so profound I'm surprised she gets out of bed every day. I see someone who's alive out of habit."

"Just so," Norgaard agreed. "She's wasting away. Some morning in the dark before the dawn her body will decide it's too much effort to keep breathing and that will be the end of Queen Elsa, and God help Arendelle."

There was no sound in the study but the crackling of the fire and the occasional 'snap' as it burned through a knot in a log.

Eventually, Kristoff got to his feet and looked at the two men who had turned his world upside down.

"I don't know what I'm going to do yet. I need to go talk this over with my family." He bowed slightly to the Bishop and said, "Thank you for your hospitality, Your Grace." Then he left.

Norgaard looked to Naismith with a puzzled look and said, "Family? I though he was an orphan."

Naismith said, "He is; he was adopted by trolls. The same trolls that Agdar went to for help when Anna was hurt by Elsa fourteen years ago. Kristoff was there that night; he saw the eldest troll cure Anna; then he took her back there the night Elsa hurt her again at the Ice Palace since he knew they had helped her once before."

"I hope they give him good advice."

"So do I, Henrik, so do I."

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"So, that's the story, Grandpabbie. It's the craziest idea I've ever heard. Me, marry Elsa? Ha!" Kristoff had related the entire narrative to Pabbie, Cliff and Bulda. He waited for them to laugh. And waited. No one laughed.

"Pabbie?"

"Kristoff, I cannot tell you what to do. Matters of the heart are no trifles. Anna's death left two shattered hearts to struggle with their loss," Pabbie clearly meant both Kristoff and Elsa.

"But ... But ..." Kristoff was flustered. His family had always known what to do. Bulda just patted his knee.

"I can only suggest one thing, Kristoff," Pabbie said. "Sometimes, the shards of two shattered hearts can be pieced together to build something new. But the heart is not easily persuaded, it will not be easy or painless." Pabbie finished.

"Tell me about it," Kristoff groaned. He had never been good with words. How could he find the words to heal Elsa, to persuade her to go on living, living with him?

 _~ to be continued ~_

* * *

Not to worry - I am NOT going to let Elsa die from grief. One major character death is all that I can handle. She and Kristoff will get through this, and eventually heal, together.


	4. Chapter 3-Arendelle Needs an Heir

"You care so much you feel as though you will bleed to death with the pain of it."  
 **― J.K. Rowling,** _ **Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix**_

"And perhaps there is a limit to the grieving that the human heart can do. As when one adds salt to a tumbler of water, there comes a point where simply no more will be absorbed." **  
― Sarah Waters, _The Little Stranger_**

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Elsa had gone to the hill where Anna was buried. Even though it had been months since the funeral she still wore her mourning clothes. Whenever Gerda gently suggested one of her other dresses, Elsa's mouth tightened in a frown, and she shook her head.

She sat for a while, looking but not seeing the three stones. Her parents' were cenotaphs, gravestones that were monuments to someone buried elsewhere. There had been no bodies recovered from whatever mishap had claimed the King and Queen, the sea was their grave. Only Anna was here. Still, Elsa felt all three presences when she came to visit.

As night began to fall, Elsa stood, kissed the stones engraved with the names of the King and Queen, then leaned against Anna's to say goodbye until the next time. Finally she turned to walk back to Arendelle. She was alone; her guards had strict orders to remain at the bottom of the hill.

She was startled to see she wasn't alone. Kristoff was there, down on one knee, his head bowed. She hadn't heard him approach.

"Kristoff! What are you doing here?" she asked.

He stood and wrung his cap in his hands. "I was looking for you. Kai told me you were here. I haven't up been here since ... the funeral, so ... " his eyes were focused on the middle stone. "May I walk you back to the castle?"

Her expression could not be called a smile, but it was the closest she had come to a smile in months. "I would appreciate your company."

He surprised her again when he held out his arm for her. She surprised herself by taking it, then laying her free hand on his forearm. She let herself lean into his warmth as they began the walk back to Arendelle.

They walked in companionable silence all the way back to the castle. At the door, Elsa turned to him and asked, "Will you stay for dinner? It's been a few weeks, I know you've been busy with the Guild, but ... "

"I would never turn down an invitation from you, Elsa. Thank you," Kristoff said. "I need to tend to Sven, then change. What time is dinner?"

"Is two hours enough time for you?" Dinner was whenever Elsa said it was.

"More than enough. See you in two hours."

Kristoff curried Sven while Olaf watched. Olaf worried Kristoff almost as much as Elsa did; the litttle snowman was as steeped in grief as she was. He looked sad all the time, he hardly got into any trouble any more, and he spent long periods of time somewhere else.

"So, Olaf, haven't seen much of you around," Kristoff said in his Sven voice. Sven looked down at his little buddy, hoping to get him talking about his adventures and maybe be the happy snowman he used to be.

"Yeah, Sven, I know. I've been spending a lot of time with Marshmallow. He's sad, too. We're sad together, it's just hard to be down here around all the places where we used to play with Anna." The little snowlem was sitting on a haybale and waggled his little snowball feet while twiddling his twiggy thumbs.

Kristoff hung his curry brush on the wall, then got a hayfork to fill Sven's manger. After hanging a bunch of carrots above it for dessert, he ruffled Sven's fur and told him, "You two stay out of trouble tonight, you hear me?"

Olaf and Sven both nodded and Kristoff left to bathe and change for dinner. He didn't know what he would say to Elsa tonight. His thoughts were still in a muddle over everything the Bishop and the Admiral had told him.

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Elsa was already seated when Kristoff joined her at the dinner table. She managed a small, quick smile as she greeted him, then they were quiet through most of the meal.

They were waiting for dessert when Kristoff noticed her lips were pursed into a tight frown, then she sighed and looked away. "Elsa? Is there something wrong?"

She looked at him and said, "I'm sorry, Kristoff. I was just thinking about the Council meeting the other day. It's been … preying on my thoughts and I can't seem to shake it."

They were interrupted by the servants putting their dessert on the table and pouring coffee. "Thank you, please leave the coffee carafe, Master Bjorgman and I can pour for ourselves," Elsa said as she dismissed the servants. Then they were alone.

Kristoff took a bite of his carrot cake before he tried to restart the conversation. "The Council meeting? Is it that trade dispute with Sweden that's got you worried?" He had been pleased with himself that his study of the issue had let him understand it and offer a reasoned opinion when they discussed it.

Elsa was moving crumbs around on her plate with her fork. She finally put it down, put her hands in her lap and said, "No. It was that fool Solheim."

He snorted, "He **IS** a fool. Why don't you just kick him off the Council? It's YOUR Council, after all." Kristoff had a straightforward view of problems and their solutions.

"I will, shortly. An audit found enough irregularities in his business dealings that I can dismiss him for peculation. We won't be listening to his babbling any more."

"That was pretty stupid of him – but at least you can get rid of him now. He's not worth losing any sleep over." Kristoff insisted.

Elsa hung her head, "That's not why I'm losing sleep," she whispered. Taking a deep breath, she gathered herself and sat up straight, then took a sip of her coffee. Putting her cup down she went on, "A fool he may be, but he was right about one thing. Arendelle needs an heir to the throne."

Kristoff didn't know what to say – having this conversation with Elsa was more surreal than having it with the Bishop and Admiral Naismith. He wondered what **her** solution would be, so he waited for her to go on.

Instead of continuing to speak, Elsa pushed her chair back and said, "Let's go to the library. I … I need to talk about this, there's so much involved, it will take a while and we'll be more comfortable in the library." She walked to the door and Kristoff followed.

Once they were in the library, Kristoff added a few logs to the fire, trying to give Elsa time to gather her thoughts. When he was satisfied with the fire, he looked at her for direction, and she waved him to sit on the couch. She remained standing, then began to pace in front of the fireplace.

"Kristoff, it's my duty to provide an heir, now that … that … there isn't anyone else."

"Elsa – " Kristoff began, but she shushed him with a gesture.

"Let me go on, Kristoff, please. It's taken me weeks to get to this point, Solheim's most recent attempt was just the final pebble that pushed the avalanche down the mountain; if I don't get this out I may never have the courage again," she pleaded. He nodded and sat back on the couch, silent and attentive.

She began to pace again and said, "Most royals don't marry for love. They marry for alliances or other political advantage. My parents were lucky to fall in love with each other during their engagement, and my father was determined that Anna and I wouldn't be pushed into political marriages that depended on that kind of luck to make us happy.

Of course, after the … accident, and thirteen years of isolation, my emotional state about romantic interaction was somewhat … stunted. I had convinced myself that I could never marry, that physical contact, intimate physical contact, was impossible for me. That I would probably kill my husband on our wedding night when my powers spiraled out of control – because I could never bring myself to be comfortable with the kind of emotional and physical intimacy required to consummate a marriage." Elsa was speaking so softly that Kristoff had to listen very closely to hear her. She continued to pace. "I was broken, Kristoff, I knew that I could never, ever marry and produce the children it was my duty to bear." Her shoulders hunched as she hugged herself while she paced.

"After the coronation disaster and then the Thaw, I still couldn't bring myself to touch anyone except Anna – she was the only one I could let inside the barriers that had built up over thirteen years. The fear of hurting someone with my magic couldn't be overcome in a few short months. And then I saw that you and Anna were becoming friends, and then more than friends.

I realized that if you and Anna married that I could let the succession pass through her and I wouldn't need to discover if my fear of intimacy could kill my husband. I saw the love growing between the two of you and I would have moved heaven and earth to make Anna happy, no matter what the nobility or the gentry had to say about it." She stopped, then turned to face him. "It was selfish of me. I was abrogating my duty, leaving it to Anna to do something that was my responsibility to do."

Kristoff looked up at her; the expression on her face was a mixture of grief and guilt. "Elsa, I'm not sure that wanting your sister to be happy and marry and have a child that would become the ruling monarch of Arendelle can really be called 'selfish'. After everything you two went through in all those years, wanting happiness for Anna looks to me like yet another sacrifice of your happiness in favor of hers."

"I wasn't giving up anything that meant anything to me, Kristoff. Weren't you listening? I … I couldn't see myself married, or having … relations with a husband that I didn't know well before we got married. It's one thing to be courted while just a Princess. Once I became Queen, the Snow Queen with magic powers no less, it became so much harder. If a Prince wasn't scared off by the thought of becoming an ice statue, he would probably be looking for the power that would come from being my husband. Like … like Hans." She looked at him with something like panic in her eyes. "It would take a very long time for me to be sure of such a suitor, to be able to judge that he was NOT another Hans. If I could **ever** be sure … " Her voice trailed off.

"Elsa, that's … I don't know what to say. I don't know what advice I can give you, I could barely figure out how to court Anna. This … is so far beyond that, I don't – " Kristoff was perplexed at this turn in the conversation. She seemed to be saying she had to marry but couldn't marry. It didn't make sense.

She looked at him with warm appreciation, then said, "I'm sorry to put this to you, Kristoff. I … I just have no one else to talk to about it."

"I'll be here anytime you need someone to talk to, Elsa, but I hate to sit here like a … rock … and not have any comfort or advice to offer you."

"But you are a rock, Kristoff. MY rock. If not for you, in truth I'm not sure I would have survived this long. Or even stayed sane," Elsa whispered.

"Well, uh, … " Kristoff didn't know what else to say. On the best day of his life Kristoff was neither talkative nor articulate. Until Anna, his life had been spent without a lot of interactions with people.

He watched Elsa struggle; it seemed as if she was finding herself as inarticulate as Kristoff was. Finally, she took a deep breath and looked Kristoff straight in the eye. She had clearly come to some decision.

"Master Bjorgman, Kristoff. You have been a good friend and I have trusted you with my sister's happiness. I would have been so proud and happy to have you as part of my family."

He could feel the temperature drop a few degrees in the room, which was always a tell that Elsa was in the throes of a very strong emotion with a large component of fear. He waited, wondering what she would say next.

"Now, I must ask something of you that … that any sane man would refuse and then run screaming from the room." Elsa went on, "Kristoff, will you marry me and become my Prince Consort?"

Kristoff hadn't seen that one coming. His jaw went slack. SHE was asking HIM to marry HER?

His silence lasted so long that she assumed he was trying to think of a tactful way to refuse her. Her shoulders slumped and Elsa mumbled, "I am sorry, Kristoff, I knew it was too much to expect … "

"Me? You are asking me, Kristoff Bjorgman, ice harvester and commoner, to marry you, the Queen?" His voice squeaked, he was so stunned.

Elsa looked at him, then sat down next to him and took one of his hands in both of her own. "Yes, Kristoff, and I am being selfish and unfair to ask this of you, I know that and ask you to forgive me."

"Forgive you? Elsa, what are you talking about?"

"Kristoff, I have a duty to Arendelle to insure the succession to the throne. The only way to fulfill that duty is to marry. But I can't marry someone I don't have a deep trust and affection toward. I would have been thrilled to have you as a brother-in-law, as the father of the future king or queen of Arendelle. For weeks I have been struggling with a dilemma, and … realized you were still the solution to my problem." She hung her head. "That's hardly a declaration of true love, hardly the foundation of a lifelong commitment. It's like I'm treating you as nothing more than a prize stud, instead of as a potential life partner."

There was an awkward, awkward silence as he tried to process what just happened.

Kristoff did understand that Elsa had laid her soul bare to him, that if he screwed this up it would be the literal last nail in her coffin. He needed to choose his words more carefully than he ever had in his life. "Elsa, look at me."

She looked up at him. He could see the unshed tears in her eyes, the fear of rejection. He moved slowly, carefully, more carefully than he ever had walking onto ice he was unsure of, knowing that failing here would be worse than death.

"Elsa, I love you. That love is brotherly right now, but it is love. And I would do ANYTHING to bring you happiness. Being your husband is a gift, not a burden. You are such a special person, willing to do anything for the people and the kingdom you love. If you can accept me as your consort, I will swear to love you and cherish you until the day I die, and that is no sacrifice." He waited.

Slowly, so slowly, the fear in Elsa's eyes disappeared, and the first glimmer of hope appeared. He decided to take a chance and see if she could accept some small affection from him. He leaned closer to her, and whispered, "May I?"

When she nodded and lifted her face to him, he kissed her, tenderly. It was a chaste and brotherly kiss; passion could come later. For now, he knew that Elsa needed him for loving friendship. For that matter, he wasn't yet sure how he would go beyond 'brotherly' himself. It wasn't important – he loved her enough to be willing to do whatever it took to make her happy.

It was a long moment later they pulled back and looked at each other. Elsa was blushing, and Kristoff could feel his own cheeks color. "Well, that happened … " he muttered. Elsa giggled. She GIGGLED! Something she hadn't done since before … well, before. Kristoff smiled to hear her.

"Elsa, dear Elsa, may I offer you a warm lap and a few warm hugs to go with it? I think that a newly engaged couple is entitled to some cuddles, don't you?" He helped her arrange herself in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder, comfortable and secure in his embrace. The scent of her was intoxicating, reminding him of freshly fallen snow in a pine forest. Her lips were close … so he kissed her again.

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Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.  
\- **Kalil Gibran**

As Kristoff had expected, the announcement that Elsa would take him to be her Prince Consort caused an uproar. Some of the gentry and nobility, generally the same ones who had turned up their aristocratic noses at the thought of him marrying Anna, were even more horrified at this engagement. Unfortunately, a small percentage of this crowd were suspicious that Elsa had been Kristoff's target all along, and that he had arranged Anna's death to move forward with a dastardly plot to become the power behind the throne of an emotionally stunted Queen. Several of those people had been so vocal that they had found themselves challenged by Admiral Naismith for slandering the Crown of Arendelle. After the first two duels and the subsequent funerals, no more was heard publicly on the topic of Kristoff's nefarious scheme.

On the other hand, far more people were thrilled to hear that their Queen had overcome her grief sufficiently so that she could entertain the idea of marrying. And Kristoff had been widely known and popular as Anna's beau, so the masses cheered him on as one of their own.

Once the initial hullabaloo died down some the kingdom more or less settled back into routine. For Kristoff and Elsa, after-dinner interludes in the library quickly became a daily ritual. Elsa seemed to be easing into the idea that she was now affianced, and Kristoff was still a bit overwhelmed at the fact that he was on his way to becoming the consort to a Queen. A potential engagement to Anna wasn't as … fraught … as that. While Elsa lived, no one would have paid that much attention to Anna and her husband as long as they produced the spares needed for the succession.

* * *

Author's note: pressing up against the limits of the "T" rating in the next scene as Kristoff decides to introduce Elsa to a little physical intimacy. YMMV, so if the slightest discussion of bare skin and touching above the waist will offend you, skip over this part.

* * *

Engaged to be wed or not, Elsa was still as skittish as a new colt at the idea of physical intimacy. Hugs, yes. Cuddles, okay. Chaste (mostly) kisses, no problem. They hadn't discussed it yet, but for Kristoff at least, his memories of kissing Anna occasionally caused a weird double vision for him. It was almost as if he were cheating on her, and with her sister, no less. But eventually Kristoff began to overcome that … guilt? ... and find himself very aroused by the beautiful woman he still couldn't believe was his fiancee. He began to get … weary … of having to imagine himself standing waist-deep in an ice-covered lake.

Thinking it over, he realized that Elsa would probably not be the one to initiate anything more arousing than the activities they were already comfortable with. He suspected that Anna's ghost was haunting Elsa's willingness to take their relationship to a more intimate level, just as it had for him. He had to take this slowly and carefully, but he decided to try to engage her in some of the warmth available to a man and a woman who loved each other.

This evening seemed like a good time to try. Elsa had only a quick meeting in the morning, and had changed into a simple blouse and skirt combination for her afternoon work in her study. She had regained some of the weight she had lost, but her clothes still hung a bit loosely on her.

She lay in Kristoff's arms as usual, her head on his shoulder, one arm wrapped around his chest. She tickled him a little, then moved her lips to his for a kiss. They were well beyond the awkward bumped noses and clicking teeth by now and she was even somewhat comfortable with deeper, more passionate kisses. One night she had blushed and admitted she like the way he tasted.

He always let her take the lead, now she probed with her tongue until he opened his lips and leaned into the kiss with her. She made a happy little moan as the kiss went on, and Kristoff took the opportunity to tug gently at her blouse until it pulled loose from the waistband of her skirt and then moved his hand under it to caress her bare skin, gently, so very gently. Elsa giggled, and broke the kiss and said, "That tickles, Kristoff."

He kissed her forehead and said, "I'll stop if you want me to."

Her eyes searched his and she said softly, "No. It feels … good. I … like it. Your hands are so gentle. Please, more. Just … "

"I'll stop the instant you seem uncomfortable."

He leaned into a kiss again and let his hand roam further. He stroked her back, her side, moving further up her ribs until his thumb stroked the underside of her breast. She moaned again and murmured, "Yes, more, please … " into his mouth. He cupped her breast in his hand and used his thumb to tease her nipple into erect arousal. Elsa's body was responding to his ministrations and she pressed herself more closely into his body and pulled his head into the most passionate kiss they had ever shared. Kristoff knew he was erect and wondered if she could feel it pressing into her legs as she sat in his lap.

A few minutes of this and she pulled back and sighed as she rested her head on his shoulder again. His hand was still under her blouse, but he simply moved the pads of his fingers in gentle touches on her ribs. "How … how does that feel?" he asked.

"Hmmm … it feels wonderful. But," she looked up at him slyly, "aren't you, um, uncomfortable?" She _wiggled_ her bottom a little to tell him exactly what she meant and Kristoff felt himself blushing furiously. That wiggle certainly did nothing to kill his arousal. She stroked his cheek and whispered, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you."

Kristoff sprinkled kisses across her eyes and cheeks and neck and whispered back, "I love you and nothing you could say or do would embarrass me. This is what a man who loves a woman does – he worships her body with his body, mouth and hands, and … well."

Elsa was utterly relaxed in his embrace, she reached up to stroke his hair, then trailed her hand down until it rested on the buttons of his tunic. She looked at him and asked, "May I?" and began to unbutton his shirt at his mute nod. She reached inside and stroked his bare skin, the hair on his chest so soft and fine beneath her fingers. Fingers so cool and smooth, the touch of them bringing a moan of pleasure from Kristoff's lips as rational thought fled. "El … Elsa, if you keep doing that, I'm … I'm going to …." He fought to delay the inevitable with the thought of _"Ice, Ice, Ice, Ice ..."_ and groaned rather loudly as her hand moved further down his stomach until it stopped at the waistband of his trousers.

"I'll stop, Kristoff. I shouldn't tease you like that, I'm sorry." Elsa drew her hand out of Kristoff's shirt and began to stand.

He held on to her hand to stop her and asked, "Elsa, is it still so hard for you to imagine our wedding night?"

She relaxed back into his arms, sighed, and replied, "No. Yes. I don't know." She looked into his eyes, then reached up to stroke his cheek. "These small intimacies we've shared are pleasurable. I'm trying so hard to let myself enjoy them without fear." She looked away and continued, "But we both know that the consummation of our marriage will go far beyond these timid pleasures. I … I can imagine it, but I can't imagine how I will FEEL. And so I don't know how I'll react – I don't know if I'll become afraid and hurt you, because my magic will escape my control."

She was trembling; he caressed her gently to soothe her. "We could … um, not wait to find out. Maybe working up to it gradually is the prudent approach."

Elsa murmured, "You're more experienced than I am. Anna would sometimes share sisterly confidences with me, you know."

"Ah, Elsa, I … we, we never – " Kristoff stammered at this revelation, wondering what to say that wouldn't somehow violate the memory of his Princess.

"I know that you never, Kristoff. Anna was smart enough to know that a scandal was something she couldn't afford, she told me you were probably the more prudent of the two of you," Elsa reassured him. "I only mentioned it because … I am looking to you for … guidance."

"Well, Anna was the only woman I had ever been close to, and since we never, well, you know, my experience isn't a lot more extensive than yours is, really." Kristoff could feel himself blushing. This was not a conversation he had ever imagined himself having with Elsa.

"Elsa, speaking of experience, uh, well, there's something I noticed that … " His voice trailed off, not sure if she would appreciate his question.

"What, Kristoff?"

"Uh, well, when Anna and I … um, and just now when I … er, shouldn't there be more layers?" He plucked at her blouse in explanation.

There was a moment of silence, then Elsa giggled and said, "Yes, there should be. But, you have exposed my nefarious plan."

"What plan?"

He could see she was blushing again. "When I changed after lunch, I decided tonight would be the night I became a bold, brazen hussy and seduced you. So, I left off those extra layers, intending to put your hands there myself." She looked away and continued, "Then I lost my courage." She looked back at him and put his hand on the buttons of her blouse. "But **you** had the courage … so, if you would like to explore just a little more?"

He nodded, then undid the first button. Then another, and another. Elsa gasped when he pushed her blouse back over her shoulders and took her breast in his mouth. "Yes, yes … oh, Kristoff!"

It was a very satisfactory evening. For both of them.

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With the passage of time and the growing relationship with Kristoff Elsa began to heal but her emotions were still wildly volatile. There were occasions when she plunged back into deep despair, berating herself for being a fool, a selfish fool who was using Kristoff as a means to an unseemly end. Then she would recover and show a bit more normalcy, even smiling in Council meetings.

Her state of mind became dangerously unstable as the anniversary of Anna's death approached. Kristoff made a point to be with her every moment he could. He had his own apartment within the castle now, as befit a Prince-to-be. (Elsa had insisted he move out of the stable before they announced the engagement.) He deputized Olaf to be with her when Kristoff couldn't – they were engaged, but there were proper forms to be maintained – they had agreed that they would not share a bed until the wedding night. It was Olaf that woke him up one morning just before dawn, saying that Elsa had run off somewhere, crying.

Kristoff and Olaf had found her on the hilltop with the three stones, sitting and leaning against Anna's. She was staring at it, tears glistening on her cheeks. There was a patch of ice on the ground around her, and the stone was coated halfway up.

"Elsa?" Kristoff asked softly. He knew better than to approach her until she let him when she was in this state.

"I'm so sorry, Kristoff, I never meant to bring you this pain," she whispered in a hoarse croak. "I miss her so much, Kristoff. I thought I could do this, I thought I could live without her. I never meant to hurt you, please believe me." She was breathing in short, sharp gasps.

"Elsa, you haven't hurt me. You have borne burdens enough for ten people, and you've had the strength to survive them. All I can say is, you don't have to bear them alone, I'm here for you, I'll always be here for you." Kristoff was desperate to penetrate the fog of Elsa's grief and self-loathing. Still, after all these years, she couldn't see her own strength, the love she had to share with others, the love that let her bear crushing concerns with no thought for her own happiness.

She slumped further against the stone. He moved closer, alert for any gesture of rejection. Finally, he was able to gather her in his arms. He sat with his back against the stone, Elsa cradled in his arms. She roused enough to stammer, "Kri … Kristoff, you'll freeze! Please, I don't want to hurt you!" She tried to move away, but he only held her more closely.

"Elsa, ice is my life. Since I was a toddler, I've been around ice. I'm not going to be hurt by a little frost!" He rocked her, trying to comfort her and reassure her. She relaxed into him, her shoulders shaking a little as she began to cry.

Kristoff held her and rocked her and caressed her hair until she had fallen into a doze in his arms. He thought he could feel another presence there, helping to soothe the Queen. _"Thanks, Feisty Pants. She still needs you. We both do."_ He was sure he was only imagining the touch on his cheek, as though a light kiss had been planted there.

He felt Elsa take a deep, shaky breath, then she wiped her cheeks and looked up at him. "I don't deserve you, Kristoff," she whispered.

He kissed her and said, "You deserve happiness, Elsa, kjæreste, and I will spend the rest of my life trying to make you happy. Believe me, Elskling, you are my life, my heart, I swear it."

The frost surrounding them slowly dissipated. Eventually, Kristoff helped her to stand, they bid the stones farewell, and returned to Arendelle hand in hand.

Kristoff tucked his wife-to-be under the comforter on her bed, kissed her forehead and sat with her until he was sure she was asleep. Olaf would watch her through the rest of the night. He left her room and went down to talk things over with Sven. It was almost dawn.


	5. Chapter 4-Two Shattered Hearts Mend

**Author's Note: NOT a new chapter. I added a prologue so this story stands alone without the need to read "The Spare".**

* * *

"In times of grief and sorrow I will hold you and rock you and take your grief and make it my own. When you cry I cry and when you hurt I hurt. And together we will try to hold back the floods to tears and despair and make it through the potholed street of life"

 **― Nicholas Sparks,** _ **The Notebook**_

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."  
 **― Anonymous,** _ **Holy Bible: King James Version**_

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Elsa remained in her room for an entire day after Kristoff brought her back to the castle. He was in the family dining room eating breakfast when she finally appeared. He stopped with a spoonful of groats halfway to his mouth, he was so surprised. Not to see her, but because of how she was dressed.

"Good morning, Kristoff," she greeted him with a smile. For the first time in a year, Elsa was not wearing her mourning garb, but one of the elegant dresses she would wear in public when meeting diplomats or appearing before her people.

"Good morning, Elsa. I'm … glad to see you up and looking … different. It's a good different!" He jumped up to hold her chair for her, then returned to his own seat.

She waited for the servant to place her food and coffee in front of her, then dismissed them with a gesture. She took a sip of her coffee, then looked at Kristoff and said, "I spent the last 24 hours reflecting that I had wallowed in my grief long enough. That it was a poor memorial to my sister to let it color every thought and action, that a year of mourning was long enough to honor her."

Elsa took a few bites of her eggs, then spoke again. "She will always be in my heart, Kristoff, and I know she will be in yours. But, I have indulged myself long enough. We are to be married; something I look forward to. The kingdom will deserve an appropriate celebration, not a funeral disguised as a wedding." She pushed her eggs around the plate and put her fork down. "I realized that I was being selfish and expecting you and everyone else in Arendelle to cater to the weakness of the Queen out of pity. No more."

"Elsa, I don't think pity is the right word. Say rather, compassion for a woman who fate had dealt a grievous blow."

"Pity or compassion, Kristoff, I have worn the sackcloth and ashes long enough. Anna will always be in my heart – until I go into the ground to join her there will never be a day that I don't think of her and miss her. But it's time and past time to be the woman and the Queen that I should be. For Arendelle, and for … for you." She reached for her coffee again and Kristoff could see her hand tremble.

Kristoff reached out to take her hand and said, "For you, Elsa, for you. Our grief can't bring back the one we loved, but we can honor her life by living ours, and remembering her, and telling her story." He was rewarded with a squeeze of his hand by the Queen.

"We should set a wedding date, Kristoff. The planning will take months and we need to send out invitations to the many kingdoms we have diplomatic ties to."

"Next spring?"

"No, I think … this fall. September, perhaps on the equinox. The weather will still be good, allowing for easy travel. Next year is too … too far away. Six months should be long enough to plan everything."

Kristoff lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. "Whatever you decree, my Queen." He was teasing her and she knew it.

It wasn't that easy, of course, for either of them. Elsa couldn't simply turn off her grief, or completely control her emotions – she had learned that lesson at her coronation. But it got better, day by day.

She gathered advisors and put them to work to plan the wedding, setting out the general outlines of what she wanted, told them the date, and left them to it. Her diplomatic corps gave her a list of realms and kingdoms that needed to be invited. The list was much longer than it had been for her coronation – then, Arendelle had been a small, sleepy, out-of-the-way kingdom ruled by a recluse. Now, it was ruled by the Snow Queen, a woman of unimaginable power. She looked at the list with dismay and wondered if she could charge admission to the spectacle. As it was, the Royal Treasury was going to be seriously depleted.

Or, she thought the Royal Treasury would be depleted until her Crown Treasurer pointed out that she had overlooked the two dowries set aside for Elsa and her sister. Elsa had known about Anna's – but she had truthfully never realized that her father had set aside a dowry for her, also. She had a moment of melancholy reflection that her father had more faith in Elsa than she had in herself – because Elsa had never for one moment after the accident considered a marriage as something she would ever have. _"Oh, Papa, if only that faith had extended to letting Anna back into my life. How much pain and guilt could have been avoided if you had trusted us to make it work?"_ And how different the history of Arendelle would be.

Six months was barely enough time to prepare. Kristoff spent much of his time immersing himself in the protocol and etiquette of being a Prince-Consort to a ruling Queen. More than once he considered suggesting to Elsa that they simply elope, have Pabbie trollfully wed them, and then hide out in her Ice Palace, sending Olaf back with missives telling the Council how to go about the ruling of the kingdom. One time he actually DID suggest it, when both of them were sitting through yet another round of trying to set up the seating arrangements for the wedding banquet. Elsa momentarily looked as though she was seriously considering it, then sighed and shook her head and they went back to moving little cards with names written on them around on a table.

They did pay a visit to GrandPabbie and the Trolls a week before the scheduled event in Arendelle. Trolls know how to throw a party, and Elsa discovered that they brewed a vile concoction called "Troll Juice" that caused one to … well, it was green. And it made certain other … things … green. Elsa politely turned down Cliff and Bulda's offer of several barrels of the stuff for the official wedding banquet. After she briefly imagined the look on a particularly stuffy noble's face when they visited the privy after drinking some, she reluctantly decided some pleasures must be foregone.

It was the day before the wedding when it all blew up.

Elsa had locked herself in her old room and refused to come out. She had ignored all efforts by Gerda to coax her to open the door. But when the temperature plunged to near freezing Gerda knew it was serious and sent for Kristoff.

Kristoff leaned against the door, trying to convince Elsa to let him in. He had been there an hour and gotten no response. Frost was growing thicker on the metal door handle, and beginning to creep out into the hallway. Drastic measures were called for; Elsa was obviously in pain. He broke the door down.

The walls of the room were covered in streaks of ice and every piece of furniture was frost-covered. A light snow was falling as Elsa paced frantically in front of the window, alternating between hugging herself and running her fingers through her hair.

"I can't do this, Kristoff. I'm going to kill you, I know it. I won't be able to control my fear, and I'll freeze your heart like I did Anna's."

They had been through this conversation before, and he had always been able to reassure her before. But this time she was far more panic-stricken.

There was one strategy he hadn't yet tried; if it failed he would look so much a heartless fool that he was sure Elsa would never speak to him again let alone marry him, and the impact on her would be so devastating he doubted she'd ever muster up the courage to try a second time.

He took a deep breath and said, "Elsa, you're not going to kill me. It would be too embarrassing."

He sauntered over to lean against the wall, crossed his arms and put a smirk on his face.

Elsa stopped and looked at him. "What do you mean? Embarrassing isn't the word I'd use to describe murdering my husband! Horrifying, sickening … where do you get the word embar – "

He airily waved a hand at her and said, "Think about it. Think about what we would be doing if you did what you're so afraid of. You'd wind up with an icy blue statue of a naked man in the throes of his passion!" He looked thoughtful for a moment, then continued, "Although, it might make the Royal Garden a popular tourist destination. You'd probably have a lot of people willing to pay to see me with the pigeons roosting on my … head."

His demeanor grew even more smug. "Probably room for three or four pigeons, at least. You might consider knitting a nice wool cap for them, so they don't freeze their little pigeon feet!" He remembered something he had learned when being tutored by the Royal Herald. "Yeah, it will be a great statue: 'Azure, a Prince-Consort rampant, under pigeons argent'."

Elsa gaped at him, stunned into immobility, her whirling panic ground to a stop as she tried to process what he had just said. Kristoff had just made a joke about his … foot size! Didn't he understand how serious this was? How could he laugh at – but her clever mind couldn't help but create a picture from his description in the language of heraldry and she snorted. She snorted! Then she chuckled. Then couldn't help herself – she began to laugh, laugh so hard she couldn't talk, only waggle a finger at him as though admonishing a small naughty child for some bit of mischief.

When the room began to thaw, Kristoff knew he had succeeded. He began to laugh, too, then approached Elsa to wrap her in a hug until the laughter finally subsided to giggles and an occasional snorted snowflake.

"You goof," Elsa said as she wiped the laugh tears from her cheeks. "What am I going to do with you?"

He looked at her still with that smirk on his face and replied, "Why, dear one, tomorrow you will marry me, and I will be your husband, and we will have children and grow old together. The Snow Queen and her Ice Master – what could be more fitting?"

Elsa smiled and said, "Yes, I will marry you and be your wife." She kissed his cheek. "I don't deserve you, Kristoff."

He put his arm around her waist and led her to the door. "No, Elsa, you deserve happiness. And if I can make you happy, I will do that as best I can until the day I pass from this earth. And tomorrow I will make that oath with all my heart."

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Arendelle had gone all out for this event, a celebration even bigger than Elsa's coronation. Mother Nature cooperated and the day dawned sunny and promised to be warm, a fall day perfect for a royal wedding.

Kristoff stood at the front of the church, handsome as any fairy-tale Prince in dark green trousers, black boots and a white jacket with a dark purple sash at the waist. Sleeves and high collar gleamed with gold braid and his Ice Master and Deliverer medallion hung on its purple and green ribbon from his neck. The collar was choking him, and he fought down the impulse to tug at it. Princes didn't tug at their collars.

He had asked Admiral Naismith to be his best man. Sven got over his disappointment when he saw how gorgeous the ice decorations on the wedding sled were. He would pull it through the town with the bride and groom greeting the cheering crowds after the ceremony. The church would be hot and stuffy anyway; Olaf (who was the designated ring-bearer) could tell him all about it afterward.

Where the Maid of Honor would normally stand was a chair. On the chair was a small child's doll with red yarn hair in braids and a tiny gold crown. A bouquet of white roses tied with purple and green ribbon sat on the chair with the doll. Elsa would have no one else as her Maid of Honor.

The nobility and gentry of Arendelle crowded the pews along with the diplomats and guests from other kingdoms. Elsa and Kristoff had made sure that the Ice Harvesters were well represented, along with others from all the working guilds. The choir started to sing and the doors at the back of the church swung open. Everyone in the church stood and turned to face the bride as she began her walk down the aisle.

Kristoff thought his heart would stop at the sight of Elsa's beauty. She had created her own wedding dress of course – purest white and glistening with ice crystals. High-collared and long-sleeved, the dress seemed to float around her, full skirts buoyed up by little more than the winter wind. Her hair was loose and flowing, unconfined by anything except the gold crown on her head. Instead of a veil, her train was made up of a magnificent cape that sparkled with snowflakes embedded in the icy fabric. A crocus of Arendelle formed the clasp and a bouquet of crocuses made of ice glowed in her hands.

Elsa reached her place in front of the altar next to Kristoff, her smile radiant and her eyes bright with unshed tears. Kristoff felt a goofy grin on his own face and he thought he might cry as the realization hit him that they were really going to do this, that he and Elsa would be wed.

They turned to face the Bishop as he began to intone the words of the wedding ceremony.

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Late that night, after the last guest had been shown to their quarters or had left for accommodations in town, they were alone at last. The Royal apartment once occupied by Elsa's parents now served Elsa and Kristoff. He had his own dressing room, separate (and much smaller) than Elsa's. He got out of the terribly stuffy clothes he had suffered in all day, and shrugged on a silken dressing gown, tying off the belt to hold it closed. The silk was soft and sensual against his bare skin, luxury beyond imagining when he was growing up in the mountains of Arendelle.

Returning to the bedroom, he built up the fire, then sat on the chaise facing the fireplace. A side table with several bottles of wine and some chocolates was waiting if the newlyweds needed refreshments. The day had been so long that Kristoff was afraid he'd fall asleep before Elsa had –

"Kristoff." Elsa's soft voice startled him, as did the hand on his shoulder. She had come up behind the couch so quietly he hadn't heard her.

He stood up as she walked around the couch to stand silhouetted against the fire. Her hair was still loose and flowing, although the crown was gone. She, too, was wearing a silken dressing gown, and he wondered if she had anything on underneath.

"Dearest Elsa, my … wife. I can't believe we are really married. This is like some dream that I'm in heaven, and that you are a gift brought to me by angels."

Elsa smiled, a shy smile. "My husband, if I am a gift, then perhaps you should … unwrap me?"

His breath caught in his throat. Reaching for the belt of her robe, he tugged at it to untie it. He caught a glimpse of Elsa's perfect body as the robe fell open, then she shrugged so that it slid from her shoulders to lie at her feet, revealing that she was clothed only in the beauty she had been born with. The firelight created golden highlights on her skin as Kristoff remembered to breathe.

He stepped closer and she removed his robe and then they melted into their first true kiss as husband and wife. After a long moment, Kristoff murmured, "May I?" and swept Elsa up into his arms when she nodded. He carried her to the bed, and placed her gently on the silken sheets. He lay down next to her and began to touch her the way he had been aching to do for so long.

There was no ice this night; only the fire of their shared passion.

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"Where there is love there is life."  
 **― Mahatma Gandhi**

"A baby is God's opinion that the world should go on."  
 **― Carl Sandburg**

Kristoff must have covered the distance from Arendelle city to the North Mountain with his pacing.

Elsa was in childbed, and had been for the last 24 hours. Gerda and Kristoff had helped her walk to the birthing room from her study; her water had broken while she was trying to get just one more memo written concerning the latest fishery report. Elsa being Elsa, she had finished the memo, capped her pen, tidied her desk, and only then called for Gerda.

Kristoff had come running as well at Elsa's voice, knowing how close she was to delivery. The midwives had shooed him out of the birthing room immediately. Having a baby was woman's work, the menfolk could wait and worry while the midwives brought the new life into the world.

Or ... not. Kristoff knew that giving birth was dangerous for a woman. There were many things that could go wrong, for the mother or the child or both. In particular, it could happen that the babe was too big for the woman's body to deliver, and then it might be necessary to cut open the mother to take the baby. The odds of the mother surviving this operation were terrible. And if they waited too long, the baby might be so distressed that it wouldn't live, either.

Given Kristoff's size and build relative to Elsa, this was a nightmare that haunted him. He wasn't sure, because he was too young to understand what he was being told, but one of the women who had cared for him when he was a small boy, before Cliff and Bulda, had seemed to imply that was how Kristoff had become an orphan – his mother had died trying to deliver him. He, of course had no memory of his mother, and only vague recollection of his father, who had been taken by the ice. He hadn't shared this particular story with Elsa; she needed reassurance, not more reasons to worry about the baby.

He wasn't even close enough to hear any sounds from inside the room. That was deliberate – the midwives had dealt with enough skittish menfolk panic-stricken at the sounds of their beloved wives in pain to keep them far enough away that they would not intrude on the birthing.

Given the timing, since it was now late June, Elsa had apparently become pregnant on their wedding night or honeymoon. It had been a relatively ordinary pregnancy, or so the Royal Physician and the head of the Midwives Guild kept reassuring Elsa and Kristoff. Elsa, of course, was worried about the effect her magic might have on the developing child. And worried about what would happen during the birth itself – would she lose control again, harming the baby or the midwives? It was all an unknown and even scarier than her worries about their wedding night.

Kristoff finally threw up his hands and went out to the stable where Sven and Olaf were waiting for news.

" _Well?"_ said Sven (Kristoff in his Sven voice)

"Nothing yet, buddy."

Olaf piped up, "Did you guys pick a name yet?"

Kristoff nodded and said, "Yeah, one for a boy and one for a girl."

" _Well, aren't you going to tell us?"_

"No, I don't want to jinx it." Kristoff's cheeks flushed as he admitted he was giving an old superstition credence.

He walked over to the hay bale where Olaf was sitting and joined him. It was getting close to supper time, but the churning of his stomach left no appetite for food.

" _Please,"_ he thought, _"Please let her come through this okay, and the baby, too."_

The door to the stable slammed open and a footman ran in shouting, "Prince Kristoff! Prince Kristoff!"

"What? What is it?"

"They want you! Come quickly!"

"Is the Queen okay? Did something happen?" Kristoff grabbed the man by the shoulders and shook him.

"I … I don't know! They just told me to run and bring you back immediately!"

Kristoff didn't waste any more time on useless questions. He ran faster than he had even when Marshmallow was chasing them down the mountain from Elsa's Ice Palace.

He skidded to a stop in front of the door and reached to open it when it almost smacked him in the face. It was Gerda, coming to see what was taking him so long or ….

"Gerda, is she okay? Are they okay?" He was wild-eyed and panting from the run.

Gerda reached out to take his shoulder and said, "Yes, Kristoff, she is fine. Exhausted, weak, but fine. And so is – "

Just then Kristoff heard a squalling cry – the baby was letting it be known that it was unhappy about something.

"The baby? Is it healthy? Not it, he? She?"

" **She** is fine, Kristoff. You have a baby girl! A princess!" Gerda beamed, then held the door open for Kristoff and waved him into the room.

He staggered in and could only focus on one thing – Elsa, sitting propped up by a mound of pillows on the bed, the blanket covering her lower body, her sweat-soaked hair plastered on her forehead. She did look exhausted, dark circles under her eyes, the nightdress damp from sweat as well. But she was smiling, he hadn't seen her look this happy since their wedding.

The midwives were busy doing something on a table near the fireplace, and a maidservant was carrying a bundle of bloody sheets out of the room. Kristoff went to Elsa's bedside and reached out to touch her cheek, then bent down to kiss her, almost afraid to touch her, she looked so frail.

The midwife came over to the bed carrying a small, blanket-wrapped bundle that was squirming and mewling. She handed the baby to Elsa, who cradled her daughter in her arms with a look of wonder.

"She is hungry, Your Majesty. She wants her mother's nursing," explained the midwife. Elsa nodded, then pulled down on the nightdress and settled her baby onto her breast for the first time.

"Kristoff, we have a daughter!" Elsa couldn't take her eyes off the baby, but she fumbled for Kristoff's hand.

"We do. We really do!" He sat carefully on the bed and watched his wife and his daughter. "Elsa, are you okay? Those bloody sheets have me worried."

"I'm tired, more tired than I ever have been in my life. And there was a lot of pain. But … no accidental magic. And the midwife said even though this little one is not so little, we managed it." Elsa looked up at him and continued, "I didn't lose an inordinate amount of blood, really. I'll just need to keep eating for two for a while."

The baby finished nursing with a slurping sound as she pulled away from Elsa, then yawned. "Do you want to hold her, Kristoff?" Elsa asked. He nodded, and she handed the little bundle to him. He cradled his daughter in his arms, she was so tiny, or so she seemed to Kristoff. Her head was covered in reddish-blonde fuzz, and her eyes were teal. She closed them and apparently fell asleep, and little bubbles of milk frothed on her lips as she breathed.

"She's beautiful, Elsa, just like her mother," he said. "Elsa?" He glanced at his wife – she was sound asleep, too.

The midwife bustled over and asked, "May I put the baby in her crib, Prince Kristoff?" He handed the baby to the woman who carried her over to the crib and fussed over her until she was satisfied the baby was comfortable.

Kristoff looked around. He was lost, now what? Gerda came back into the room and said, "Kristoff, the footmen are bringing a comfortable chair in for you to sit with Elsa. We're going to let her sleep for a few hours, then we'll clean her up and help her back to your chambers, and move the babe's crib there as well. She'll need all the sleep she can get for a day or two, and we'll make sure she gets enough to eat."

He nodded, still dazed. He was a father!

"Now, do we have your permission to make the announcement? Kai will do it, and there is a large crowd in the courtyard waiting for news."

"Announcement? Uh, sure, go ahead." Gerda didn't move. "What?"

"Your Highness, Kai needs to know her name."

"Oh, it's – "

Gerda smiled and said, "A worthy name for this little Princess."

Kristoff sat on the bed and took Elsa's hand in his, careful not to wake her. She needed her sleep.

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Kristoff wasn't happy with Elsa – it had only been a week since she had given birth, and in Kristoff's opinion she wasn't strong enough for this yet. Unfortunately, his opinion didn't count. He had at least managed to convince her to ride in his wagon instead of walking the entire way. He'd carry her the last little bit if he had to.

They were on the hillside with the memorial stones. He had carried the baby up the hill from where Sven and the wagon were, now he handed the little Princess to Elsa. She turned to face the memorials and Kristoff wrapped a protective arm around her waist.

"Mama, Papa, Anna – may I present the new Crown Princess of Arendelle. Your granddaughter, your niece, Princess Anna Kristina Idunn, heir to the Crocus Throne."

There was no answer, of course. But a gentle breeze blew up, and swirled around the little family; a warm breeze, a hug as warm as any they had ever shared. The baby Princess stirred in Elsa's arms, cooed happily and reached out for something only she could see.

" _Thanks, Feisty Pants. We'll tell her all about her fearless aunt, who never gave up on family, and loved her sister beyond life and death and saved the kingdom. A tough role model to live up to, but she'll make us all proud."_ Kristoff knew Anna could hear him. He knew his daughter would always have a special guardian angel to watch over her.

~fin~

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 **Author's Note:**

I hope you enjoyed that, once we got past the tragedy of chapter 1.

First, let me thank my beta, stillslightlynerdy, although she hated reading chapter 1, so any errors in there are all mine. In addition, the description of Elsa's wedding dress is far better for the tweaking to my prose done by Morgaine2005. Both of them are fine authors in their own right, so if you haven't searched out their stories, you are truly missing some good writing.

Some folks have asked if I was channeling real life in chapter 1 because it felt so real. I'm old enough that I've lost friends and family close to me, including a sister taken by cancer when she was far too young. I can't claim that her loss affected me the same way Elsa was affected by losing Anna, but there's not a day when I don't remember something about her and miss her, and it's been 12 years on.

Here's a key takeaway: every person processes loss and grief in their own unique way. Depending on circumstance, loss of a loved one can be crippling, or … not. I think Elsa managed to deal with her loss in a reasonable time frame. But in this story Anna had been murdered by an evil man; she had not died by Elsa's agency. If Anna had REALLY died of a frozen heart, my belief is Elsa would never have recovered from that and would have welcomed her own death as blessed relief. YMMV, as always.

Kristelsa is not a ship that is in my 'main' headcanon, but Elsa spells it out pretty clearly in chapter 3 why Kristoff is probably the only person in the world she could imagine marrying under these circumstances. Once she became Queen, and known to be a powerful mage, any Prince seeking to marry her _**could be**_ another Hans, and the consequences of her being wrong in figuring that out would be catastrophic.

And for those of you who clearly saw that the endgame was a little Princess named 'Anna', you ALMOST convinced me to have Elsa give birth to a son, named Sven Olaf Agdar. Imagine the conversation:

"Son, you were named after two of the bravest - "

"DAD! It was a reindeer and a snowman!" Yeah, that wasn't going to happen.

In other news, getting this one out of my Work In Progress folder after more than a year means I will be working on 'Dogs of War' again. Yay!

Reviews are wonderful; feel free to leave some more! Thank you for your favs and follows!


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